State 'friends' for Port Authority?
...Devant in bid to retain law firms with Govt ties
By Camini Marajh Head Investigative DeskFormer Gopio (Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin) boss and information freedom fighter-turned-Government Minister Devant Maharaj has sought to make an intervention in the State hiring of legal firms retained by the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT).
The new Transport Minister, who was sharply critical of past People's National Movement interference in the selection of political friends to lucrative State jobs in his previous incarnation as an advocate of transparency and accountability in public life, has himself intervened in a bid to have two law firms with close ties to the People's Partnership Government retained by the Port Authority.
According to PATT Board Minute 671/11 of August 25, 2011, director Jalim Ramnarine said he had been directed by the Transport Minister to convey the Minister's instructions for the "immediate termination of all legal briefs" and the reassignment of all legal work to Fortis Chambers and the law chambers of Subhas Panday, who was a minister in the ruling Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration until recently.
Fortis Chambers comprises Jagdeo Singh, Larry Lalla, Randy Depoo and Dereck Ali.
Ramnarine, a senior manager at Illuminat (T&T) Ltd, according to the official minutes of the 671/11 board meeting, in raising the issue under the Agenda item "other matters", told the board he had been directed by the Minister to convey the following instructions:
1. "That the PATT immediately terminate all legal briefs currently residing with other legal service providers and re-assign all such briefs to Fortis Chambers and the Chambers of Subhas Panday;
2. That the PATT take immediate steps to engage Fortis Chambers and the Chambers of Mr Subhas Panday as its sole providers of external legal services; and
3. That due care must be taken to ensure that these directives are appropriately recorded in the minutes of the Authority's meeting."
Ramnarine yesterday disputed the official version of what he is reported to have said at the board meeting of August 25.
He denied he was directed by the Minister to do anything. He explained rather that a request was made from the Minister's office that these names be included in the list of service providers.
Who made the request?
"Advisers to the Minister," he said.
Who specifically?
Ramnarine could not say.
He pointed instead in the direction of two new advisers whom he said he had met but whose names he could not now recall.
He made clear, in a brief telephone conversation with the Sunday Express, that: "It certainly was not Mr Maharaj who communicated those instructions to me." His phone appeared to be giving trouble, however, when asked why those names and on what basis they were being proposed.
Minister Maharaj denied he issued instructions to axe the current law firms associated with the Port. He said, rather, he had suggested a review of all suppliers' contracts to all of the boards under his Ministry.
He said he was told by Ramnarine that the Board Minutes did not accurately reflect what he said.
Chairman Clive Spencer said he had no comment at this stage. General manager of the Port Authority Colin Lucas, who was also in attendance at the August 25 meeting, said he was unable to discuss board matters with the media.
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