The Corruption Situation in T&T.

[kounty]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/letters/UWI-must-move-to-clear-its-name--233701081.html

So good! 

[fishs]

We thought Manning was bad so we move him and put the drunkin master and she 4king crew, now they 4kingup everything and anything they touch

All yuh was around when this lot was in power 1995-2001? Well all d Manning haters gave dem d mandate 2 mash up d place.

Time to get over the tabanca girl.

Start promoting Rowley

[weary1969]

We thought Manning was bad so we move him and put the drunkin master and she 4king crew, now they 4kingup everything and anything they touch

All yuh was around when this lot was in power 1995-2001? Well all d Manning haters gave dem d mandate 2 mash up d place.

Time to get over the tabanca girl.

Start promoting Rowley

I vote PNM because it eh have no other option so I eh go be promoting nobody. I will just go insure d candidate doh loose his  deposit

[zuluwarrior]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Unsettled-Anil-blanks-House-233952831.html


Of all the people to comment and take a stand like this on this matter hmm something is wrong or maybe right.

[zuluwarrior]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Confusion-over-GSB-committee-233952681.html

[weary1969]

State pays out $53m in legal fees
By Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com


The State has paid more than $53 million in legal fees to attorneys from June 2010-October 2013.
The main beneficiaries are Queen’s Counsel Allan Newman, Fenton Ramsahoye SC, Gerald Ramdeen, Kelvin Ramkissoon, Jagdeo Singh, Seenath Jairam SC and Avory Sinanan SC.
This figure excludes work done on behalf of State boards and invoices awaiting approval.
Sources say invoices within the Attorney General’s office, awaiting approval, total more than $8 million.
The Express understands that the payments exclude work done for various State enterprises such as WASA, T&TEC, NWRHA (North West Regional Health Authority), SWRHA (South West Regional Health Authority), and PTSC (Public Transport Service Corporation), just to name a few.
For the past two years, the Express has applied to the AG’s office under the Freedom of Information Act to ascertain the amount of money being spent to facilitate representation in court cases.
Calls were made to the office seeking reasons why the information was not forthcoming.
Two months ago, another application was made, but to date no response has been communicated.
According to invoices obtained by the Express, for the periods June 2010 to October 2013, Newman topped the list of high earners, having received $14,474,613.54; Ramdeen—$10,443,423; Ramsahoye—$7,750,096; Sinanan—$6,568,225; Ramkissoon—$5,924,631.80; Jairam—$4,478,847.50; and Singh—$3,728,832.97.
The fees were paid for briefs on being retained by the Office of the Attorney General and include professional legal advice, court appearances, investigations, and judicial review applications.
The results of the investigations, sources say, have not been forwarded to the police for investigation, nor sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
However, the matters are before the courts after civil action was initiated.
Sources say, in the past, the retention of attorneys was done by the Solicitor General. However, such a practice has lapsed and all decisions on who to retain have been taken by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.
Last month, Solicitor General Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell SC tendered her resignation, which comes into effect on January 14. She has remained silent on several questions posed to her.
Efforts to contact her yesterday were unsuccessful.
Continuing Express investigations show that on January 13, 2012, Newman was paid $1,846,042.25. That case is not specified on the invoice, only “debit advice 1397 dated 28/12/11”.
An invoice, dated 5/6/11, stated he billed the State following investigations into Gopaul and Company Limited.
The amount also covers debit advice “1397” and also the invoice dated 21/10/11 “RE: investigative probe”.
Another payment of $2,360,859.21 was made on May 25 last year. The invoice states “debit advice #3950 dated May 14, 2012. Overseas payment”.
On September 4, Ramsahoye received $483,210 for advice given on legislation concerning violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago.
Advice was also given “on the majority required to enact in Parliament the Miscellaneous Provisions (Defence and Police Complaints) Bill 2013”.
He was also paid a further $322,140 that same day for advice given on the enactment of the Administration of Justice (Parole) Bill 2013.
Among the top paying matters were extradition proceedings against businessmen and United National Congress (UNC) financiers Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson, CLICO and investigations into Petrotrin, UTT and eTecK.
During the budget debate on September 22, 2010, Ramlogan told the Senate that under the last administration “$84 million in legal fees was paid to ten lawyers” during 2001-2010.
He also claimed: “The total legal fees paid by my Ministry to just ten local legal friends of the PNM amounted to just over $84 million..ten persons’ names regimentally appear each year.”
Contacted last week and asked about the fee structure used when submitting invoices, Ramkissoon said: “In most cases I am with senior counsel and, according to fee structure charged by senior, I am entitled to two-thirds of that in brief. I have never gone outside of that.”
The Express then asked whether he had ever been asked to lower his fees, as they may have been too high, and he responded: “There may have been, it may have happened, but I do not recall that.”
Ramkissoon further explained that he abides by the Legal Profession Act or failure to do so would result in him being penalised.
He added that when submitting invoices, they are sent to the Solicitor General’s department.
When contacted for comment, Singh, who said his fees are reasonable, added: “When billing a client, I abide by the rules which govern my profession.”
Jairam, who is also president of the Law Association, when asked whether a fee structure is in place when dealing with legal fees, said: “No. There are no formats or regulations. It’s a matter of attorneys submitting invoices and it is negotiable. There are guidelines as to hourly charges on litigation...these are general guidelines which are used when a litigant is successful in a case.”
Earlier this year, Jairam replaced attorneys Fyard Hosein SC and Michael Quamina at the Commission of Inquiry into the collapse of CLICO.
Shortly after receiving the brief, he gave it up, as concerns were raised within the legal fraternity that acceptance of the brief was a conflict of interest.
Shortly after being sworn in as AG, Ramlogan, in a July 1, 2010 letter, wrote to then Finance Minister Winston Dookeran: “I write further to our meeting and my discussions today with the Honourable Minister of Finance to advise that Mr Alan Newman QC is to be instructed and retained, instead of Mr Gilbert Peterson SC, with immediate effect.
“Kindly forward a brief to Mr Newman’s Chambers with the relevant papers via Fedex as soon as possible. Please also be reminded of the outstanding status reports I requested regarding the status of all pending legal matters.”
Sources say the services of Peterson were to be retained, but this did not materialise following Ramlogan’s instructions.
Ramdeen, in responding to queries, said he has never been informed by the AG’s office that his fees were high.
“On the contrary, there are many occasions where I charge a fee less than I am entitled to charge, “ he said.
Efforts to contact Ramlogan via e-mail and text messages for comment were unsuccessful.
Former AG Ramesh Lawrence-Maharaj SC, when contacted last weekend, said it is the responsibility of the Solicitor General to “choose attorneys whom she deems fit to represent the State”.
He said, following this, the names are approved by the AG.
“However, this is not being done and the AG is choosing lawyers by himself. The nation needs to know whether the procedures for recruiting these lawyers are being followed,” said Maharaj.
Stating that fees paid to attorneys has been a contentious issue, Maharaj said when invoices are submitted, checks ought to be conducted on the requisition and then submitted to the AG.
“The AG then compares the requisition with what is the normal fee paid to lawyers.”
Adding that ministers should not be retaining lawyers, Maharaj said: “That’s why in so many cases you have friends being retained.”

8.8.11—$45,000 Pre-action protocol issued by Alexander Jeremie and Co- alleged unlawful CLICO policy of gov’t and pre-action protocol issued by RLM and Co-alleged unlawful CLICO policy of gov’t
30.8.11—$61,666.65 Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG
27.9.11—$210,000- Eon Hewitt and others vs Ministry of Works and Transport and the Transport Commissioner; and the Minister of Works and Transport and the Transport Commissioner of T&T vs Eon Hewitt and others
28.9.11—$179,750- Patrick Manning vs AG&CV2011-2018 Patrick Manning vs AG and re: Twin infants born to Ms Hope-Request to make infants ward of the state.
14.11.11—$23,000-Alleged unlawful CLICO policy response to RLM & Co
15.12.11—$80,000-Harold Chang vs Minister of Health, NWRHA, PS Minister of Health and Dr Ramshwardath Mahabir, ag Medical chief of staff Port of Spain General Hospital
20.1.12—$26,664- Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG
28.2.12— $322,500- Global Bank of Commerce Ltd vs Central Bank T&T and Winston Dookeran Minister of Finance; Citizens Bank of Guyana Inc vs Central Bank of T&T and Winston Dookeran Minister of Finance; the United policyholders group and others vs Kamla Persad-Bissessar and others.
28.5.12—$259,000- Percy Farrell and others vs Central Bank, Republic Bank, Minister of Finance and AG, RE: Broadgate Place Property Company Ltd vs Minister of Planning, Econnomic and Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs
29.6.12—$75,000-Richard Ramoutar vs Director of Personal Administration
27.7.12—$53,250- Clico vs Kamla; Percy Farrel vs Clico
16.7.12—$45,000- Percy Farrel and others vs Clico, Central Bank, Republic Bank, Minister of Finance and AG-application for conditional leave to appeal to the Privy Council (2) Civil appeal No. 95 of 2012-Percy Farrel and others vs Clico, Central Bank, Republic Bank, Minister of Finance and AG-application for conditional leave to appeal the Privy Council
27.7.12— $83,225-Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG
17.8.12—$80,000-Clico vs Kamla; Percy Farrel vs Clico
17.8.12—$62,000-Ricky Steven and others vs Ministry of Energy
26.9.12—$350,000- United Clico Policyholders vs Kamla Persad-Bissessar and others (substituted by the AG pursuant to order of the court)
18.10.12—$100,000- Fire Service Association vs Carl Williams-Chief Fire Officer and PSA and AG
21.12.12—$115,000-Ameen Ali vs NWRHA-Minister of Health and the PS, Ministry of Health
6.2.13—$134,167.05-Stephen Maynard and others vs the Commissioner of Police
27.2.13—$72,833.13-United Policyholders vs AG
21.5.13—$166,743.10-United Clico Policyholders vs AG
14.6.13—86,250- Soca for Peace Foundation vs the Registrar of the Supreme Court
3.9.13-$741,750- AG vs United Clico Policy holders and others
21.10.13-$207,000- Prakash vs Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs and PS
 
 
Fenton Ramsahoye SC—$7,750,096

17/01/11 — $588,772.40 - debit advice 1179 dated 16/12/10
23/9/11—$1205,625.20 -debit advice 5492 dated 22/8/11
23/9/11— 32,064.50- debit advice 5496 dated 24/8/11
28/9/11—$313,038- debit advice dated-15/9/11
28/9/11—$104,346- debit advice 5919 dated 15/9/11
14/12/11—$526,669.90- Advice RE: Guarentee to the lending agency Wells Fargo Bank NW, Advice RE: 2 draft detention orders under the emergency regulations re: professional fees: Privy Council Appeal No: 0089 of 2010
26/03/12—$535,673.40- Advice RE: sale as shareholder of Primera Oil and Gas Limited. Services RE: Declaration of a State of Emergency in T&T in August 2011
17/4/12—$1140,899- Advice RE: the director of personnel administration, data protection act, undertaking by TDC to BICC RE: advice environmental clearance certificate, compliance with the extractive industries transparency initiative
04/05/12—$418,496- re: advice application of central tenders board legislation
28/09/12—$77,242.80- Advice on the question whether the President may exercise the power of removal of the chairman of the Environmental Commission
28/09/12—$386,460- Advice: re: exemption from  taxes on purchase of motor vehicles
30/07/12—$642,630- Advice re: legal provisions for enactment to terminate from an appointed day the power and authority of the judicial committee of the Privy Council, advice re: the Amendment of article XXV of the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice
03/1/13— $62,413.80- Advice RE: whether Israel Khan SC could be appointed as a member of the Firearms Appeal Board
15/5/13—$266,135- RE: overseas payment for advice given and for written opinion given.
04/09/13—$483,210-Advice re: on legislation concerning violent crime in TT, re: advice on the majority required to enact in Parliament the Miscellaneous Provisions (Defence and Police Complaints) Bill 2013
04/09/13-$644,280-Advice re: question whether the exchequer and audit Amendment Bill was properly introduced into the Senate: advice re: in connection with the termination of a lease by the Children’s Authority of TT; re advice: on the question whether information concerning taxes paid to the Revenue by oil mining and gas companies
04/09/13-$322,140- Advice re: on the enactment of the Administration of Justice ( Parole) Bill 2013.
 

Allan Newman QC—$14,474,613.54

17/8/13—$230,549.14 - re: Paponette, Clico JR (Alexander Jeremie letter) Clico JR (RLM letter)
23/12/10—$1255,537.70- Broadgate PI Tower, Calder Hart, Ingrid Isaac-contract of employment terms.
01/05/12—$3090,240- advice re: T&TEC, UTT,SPORTT,ETECK, MVSU
13/1/12—$1,846,042.25- advice -Investigative probe Re: Gopaul and Company Ltd
08/8/12—$754,320- Advice- Farrell and others vs Clico and others
25/5/12—$2390,859.21- Advice
21/11/12—$1047,510- United Policy Holders Group (JR RLM and Co)
19/2/13—$712,388.25- advice - Farrell and others vs Clico and others Court of Appeal- Repeal of Section 34
17/7/13—$2488,275- advice Repeal of Section 34 Administration of Justice
18/9/13—$21,245.91- Provision of professional services rendered in legal matters Clico, Lionel Luckhoo letter of 27/5/11, AG/SG-3/3/55- conference with Nicole Chapman et al. Re: letter (1hr) 14/7/12 opinion
27/9/13—$637,646.08- Farrell and others vs Clico and others-Privy Council application. HCU case- United Policy Holders group, repeal of Section 34
 

Gerald Ramdeen—$10,443,423

28.4.11—$146,500-HCU vs AG and others
2.6.11—$652,000- Fees: RE: Investigation into the affairs of Petrotrin, UTT and Sportt
7.6.11—$218,590- Fees: matter of appeal , between  former PC Clinton Auguste and Commissioner of Police
17.11.11—$176,000-Trinidad Energy Investments Ltd and the AG: NGC: NEC
12.3.12—$10,000- detention of Ashmead Mohammed Choate
20.3.12—$100,000- Andrew Bernard vs AG
4.4.12-$40,000-Thompson Boddie and Harris vs Cabinet of T&T  and AG
11.5.12—$335,000- Karen Teshiera vs AG:T&T Police and Social Welfare Association vs Commissioner of Police: Clinton Auguste and the police Commission and the Commission of Police
18.5.12— $150,000-Ruby Thompson Boddie and Lenore Harris  vs Cabinet of T&T and AG: Re: Brig Peter Joseph vs AG
18.5.12—$950,000-Evolving Technologies Ltd vs Ken Julien and others: RE: Paradise Gardens Ltd vs Minister of Planning
26.6.12—$500,000-Trinidad Energt Investments Limited and AG: NGC:NEC
14.9.12—$100,000-Ramdeo Ramtahal vs Defence Council
1.11.12—$32,000-Quincy Noel vs AG, RE: Kevin Stuart vs AG
28.11.12—$233,000-Nizam Mohammed vs AG
17.1.13—$270,000- Ramdeo Ramtahal vs Defence Council, Julien and others vs Evolving Technologies and Enterprise Ltd, RE: Counsel and instructing attorney in HCA 93 of 1999 API Pipeline Ltd vs AG and the Board of Inland Revenue
18.2.13—$200,000-KKRV Consolidated Marine Services Ltd vs AG
26.2.13—$1,000,000- Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG and DPP
11.3.13—$300,000-Urban Development Ltd of T&T vs Calder Hart
10.5.13—$150,000-Requisition in matters of  Winston Wilson and others
10.5.13—$150,000-Kublalsingh and others vs AG
10.5.13—$233,333-Clayton Andrews vs AG and Public Service Appeal Board
22.5.13—$250,000-Wendell Lucas vs Police Service Commission and the Promotion Advisory Board
12.6.13—$450,000- Wendell Lucas vs Police Service Commission and the Promotion Advisory Board: RE: Civil Appeal Ameena Ali vs NWRHA vs Ameena Ali
30.7.13—$150,000- Ferguson, Ameer Edoo, Maritime Life, Maritime General vsAG
30.7.13—$75,000-Bagoo and another vs Chief Immigration Officer
30.7.13—$100,000-Nizam Mohammed vs AG
30.7.13—$100,000-Jorge Calderon vs Magistrate Annette McKenzie
25.10.13—$150,000- Arnold Campbell vs AG
25.10.13—$150,000- Paul Fulchan vs AG
25.10.13—$750,000-Ferguson, Eddoo, Maritime Life, Maritime General vs AG
25.10.13—$500,000- Maurice Tomlinson vs State of T&T
25.10.13—$1,000,000- Petrotrin vs Malcom Jones
25.10.13—$266,000- Omar Singh vs Comptroller of Customs and Excise
25.10.13—$200,000- Afra Raymond vs The Ministry of Finance
25.10.13— $266,000-Omar Singh vs Comptroller of Customs and Excise
 
 
Seenath Jairam SC—$4,478,874.50

27/3/13—$402,500-Desalination company of T&T Ltd Registration recognition and certification board
11/4.13—$862,500-THA vs the AG of T&T
11/4/13—$316,250 –the Official Receiver vs All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union and Bel Air International Airports Hotel Ltd.
10/6/13—$402,500- Clayton Andrews and the AG of T&T and the Public Service Appeal Board
10/6/3013—$431,250- Sgt Wendell Lucas and others vs Commissioner of Police and the Promotion Advisory Board.
25/6/13— $632,500- Trade dispute between the OWTU vs the CPO and the PS in the Minister of Foreign Affairs
30/7/13— $460,000- Omar Singh vs the Comptroller of Customs and Excise Application for leave to apply for Judicial Review and interim relief
30/7/13—$373,750- Phillip Calbert Castor vs the Comptroller of Customs and Excise
3/9/13— $299,862.50 – Arnold Campbell vs the AG of T&T
24/10/13—$297,735- Paul Fulchan vs the AG of T&T
 
 
Jagdeo Singh—$3,728,832.97

18.11.10—$100,000- Habeas Corpus application for Hassan Atwell (take instructions, peruse application and submission, appear on application etc)
13.1.11—$100,000-Appeal or of Justice Jones dismissing application for writ of habeas corpus by Atwell
13.1.11—$65,000-Fire sub- station officer Mohammed- take instructions, appear at San Fernando Magistartes’,conferences, advice, legal research, general care and conduct.
18.3.11—$133,333- HCU vs AG and Sir Anthony Coleman
13.6.11—$133,333- HCU vs AG and Sir Anthony Coleman
26.8.11—$199,000-Universal Projects Ltd vs AG
27.9.11—$240,000-Ramkissoon-Mohammed vs AG: Kerron Pierre vs Commissioner of Prison
1.12.11—$150,000-Sammersaon vs Magistrate Nannette Forder-John
12.3.12—$300,000-ag Cpl Bharath, PC Cielto, PC Lavia and PC Roberts
20.3.12—$150,000-AG vs Universal Projects
3.5.12—$150,000-Gladys Gafoor
29.5.12—$163,333.33- Towfeek Ali vs ASP Chandrabhan, Insp Manswell,PC Thomas and AG
28.6.12—$156,666-School of Business and Computer Science vs AG
16.7.12—$310,000 Sgt Roy,Cpl Bentick,PC Baldwin vs Coroner Naini Singh; SBCS vs AG
9.8.12—$25,000-Kirby Smith vs Sandra Jones,PS, Ministry of Gender and Gender Affairs
14.9.12—$421,666.65- Towfeek Ali vs ASP Chandrabhan Maharaj,Insp Manswell, PC Thomas and the AG; Animals for education vs Chief game warden
10.10.12—$92,000- Advice Hassan Atwell
11.10.12— $28,750- Sammerson vs Magistrate Forde-John
30.1.13— $51,750- Taking instructions, preparation of bail application, three court appearances, research laws of bail penalty extradition, general care and conduct
10.5.13-$239,200— Towfeek Alivs ASP Chandrabhan Maharaj, Insp Manswell, PC Thomas and the AG
3.6.13—$174,800- Keron Pierre and the Commissioner of Prisons
3.6.13—$172,500-.Habas Corpus application-Jagmohan vs Commissioner of Prisons
5.6.13-$172,500-PC Narace vs Jagmohan

Fees paid by the Office of the AG from 2010 to present

Avory M Sinanan SC—$6,568,225

26.11.2010—$ 690,000 RE Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh vs AG (Judicial), Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh vs AG and Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicols (Constitutional appeal)
17.12.10—$28,750 Kelsick vs Dr Ajit Kuruvilla NWRHA and the AG
30.9.10—$20,700 Vernon Ashby vs Registrar of the Industrial Court
13.1.11—$115,000 Bail application –Galbaransingh and Ferguson
1.3.11—$230,000 Bail application Galbaransingh and Ferguson; Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG and McNicolls. Application to extend time and leave to appeal to the Privy Council; Kelsick vs Dr Kuruvilla NWRHA and the AG
15.2.13—$115,000 Appeal against the refusal of bail by Justice Andre Mon Desir-Galbaransingh and Ferguson
27.9.11—$106,375 Galbaransingh and Ferguson vs the AG
14.11.11—$172,500 Virgil Wharton vs AG (civil appeal  no 67 of 2008)
20.1.12—$46,000 Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG
22.2.12—$172,500 Virgil Wharton vs AG
27.2.12—$115,000 AG vs Oswald Alleyne and 152 others
17.4.12—$319,700 Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG; School of Business and Computer Science
03.07.12—$678,500 SBCS vs AG,  RE: Gladys Gafoor vs AG and others
12.9.12—$143,750 Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG
26.9.13—$517,500 John Henry Smith and Barbra Gomes  vs AG and DPP and RE civil appeal Smith and Gomes vs Chief Magistarte and DPP, Galbaransingh and Armith Maharaj and Northern Construction Company vs Chief Magistrate.
22.11.12—$46,000 Gladys Gaffoor vs AG.
29.11.12—$402,500 Nizam Mohammed vs AG
27.12.12—$287,500 Gladys Gafoor vs AG
16.1.13—$431,250 DPP vs Magistrate Marcia Murray and Basdeo Panday. Kelsickvs NWRHA and the AG
6.2.13—$97,750 Kelsick vs NWRHA and the AG
19.2.13—$345,000 Tanya and Curtis Gayadeen vs AG
15.4.13—$143,750 Extradition Doreen Alexander Durity
11.6.13—$230,000 Extradition Doreen Alexander Durity vs the AG (Judicial Review)
7/7/13—$172,500 Nizam Mohammed vs AG
21/10/13—$316,250 The Mayor, Councillors and citizens of the City of PoS vs AG
24.6.11—$552,000 Tanya and Curtis Gayadeen vs the AG
8.8.11—$20,700 Tanya and Curtis Gayadeen vs AG
8.6.11—$86,250 Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh vs AG and Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls—application for disclosure
23.5.11—$69,000 Impounding of motor vehicles by the POS City Corporation
18.03.11—$575,000 Galbaransingh and Ferguson vs AG, substantive application for judicial review, application for permission to apply for judicial review, HCU vs AG and Sir Anthony Colman

Kelvin Ramkissoon—$5,924,631.80

22.12.10—$399,999.33 Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh vs AG (application for leave for Judicial Review-Justice Charles)  Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG  (appeal on Judicial Review from order of Justice Charles)  Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG (constitutional appeal)  (constitutional appeal)
20.03.12—$400,000 Percy Farrell and others vs CLICO, Central Bank, Republic Bank Ltd, Winston Dookeran, Ministry of Finance and the AG 
14.03.13—$230,000 Wayne Kublalsingh and others vs AG 
11.6.13—$153,333.95 RE: CV: 2013-01303- Extradition of Doreen Alexander Durity vs  AG (Judicial Review) dated- 17.5.13 
22.10.13—$153,332.95 CV 2013-01303 in the matter of extradition of Doreen Alexander vs AG (Judicial Review)
23.01.13—$57,500 Request legal opinion Environmental Commission
10.8.10—$65,000 Brief as counsel for attending at the hearing of the Bail Application
30.9.10—$35,000 Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG and McNicols
22.10.10—$175,000
19.11.10—$66,666.66 Claim between Ramnarace Nandoo and Nalini Singh; fee on brief as junior counsel to Russell Martineau SC, consideration of the law, notice of application to dismiss matter on basis of abuse and provisions of Magistrates’ Protection Act, affidavit in support of application, attendance at court, general care and conduct.
13.1.11—$75,000 Fees Re: Application for bail-Galbaransingh and Ferguson
28.1.11—$15,500 Professional services rendered: Re: Response to Pre-Action protocol issued against the Hon Minister of Finance for alleged defamation, issued by the HCU Cooperative Society Ltd and its Directors
15.2.11—$199,999.98 Fees Re: Broadgate Place Property Company Ltd vs Minister of Planning, Gender Affairs and appeal against the refusal of bail by Justice Mon Desir- Galbaransingh and Ferguson
18.3.11—$250,000 Galbaransingh and Ferguson; Galbaransingh and Ferguson vs AG (substantive application for judicial review;Ferguson and Galbaransingh, Galbaransingh and Ferguson vs AG and McNicolls-application to extend time and for leave to appeal to the Privy Council
7.6.11—$50,000 Fees: Ferguson and Galbaransingh vs AG and McNicolls- Appliction for disclosure
27.6.11—$18,500 Fees: Proposed claim by Hollis Hinds, Senior Business Analyst, Monitering and Networking Unit, Ministry of Trade and the Industry

[lefty]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Accreditation-body-calls-for-report--234171271.html
Accreditation body calls for report
Wade Mark degree controversy

By Anika Gumbs CCN Senior Multimedia Investigative Journalist
Story Created: Dec 2, 2013 at 11:33 PM ECT
Story Updated: Dec 2, 2013 at 11:33 PM ECT
The Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) has written to the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (GSB) requesting a report surrounding the controversy of the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree conferred upon House Speaker Wade Mark.

ACTT executive director Michael Bradshaw confirmed to the Express yesterday that the Council had written the GSB by letter dated December 2 (yesterday) seeking clarity on the matter.
“We have to collect the facts because we do not know exactly what happened. We cannot rely on what was reported because if you read the newspaper articles some of them are conflicting,” said Bradshaw.
“We have written the institution asking for information in relation to the matter and we are awaiting a reply. We have written the institution to seek clarification. Every institution has policies and we have to ensure that the policies were followed. At this time I cannot give any more information on the matter.”The move follows exclusive Express reports raising concerns on concessions that were offered to Mark for him to complete the degree. The issue led to the resignation of GSB programme director Brian Ghent, who objected to the concessions.
Mark had requested to write the final exam in a separate room from the other students and he was given an oral exam to complete the coursework for the Management Accounting course.

The University of the West Indies is insisting that all policies were followed and Mark had fully satisfied all the requirements for the degree.
In an advertisement in the daily newspapers yesterday, UWI Vice-Chancellor Prof E Nigel Harris stated:
“From the review conducted, we have found that this student (Mark) was in good academic standing and fully satisfied all the requirements to graduate from the programme. From time to time, and based on professional and personal circumstances, students can request considerations which will usually be granted once they are consistent with UWI regulations. Considerations are recommended by departments and approved by the UWI on a case-by-case basis. The UWI has always embraced a student-centred philosophy that recognises the interest and well-being of its students, the diversity of the student population, and our commitment to equity.

“To meet the requirements of this degree, the student had one outstanding course. It should be noted that, with respect to this course, which is examined by both coursework and a written exam, the student had successfully completed the coursework component on two previous occasions. Based on this, the requirement to repeat the coursework component for a third time could have been waived by the UWI, but the student would still have been required to take and pass the final written exam.

“Despite the fact that the student had already passed the coursework on two previous occasions, the ALJGSB took the decision to assess the student’s knowledge of the material further, by subjecting the student to an oral examination of coursework material, which he passed.”

[lefty]

So why not make the bolded above standard operating procedure, UoL does it this way.....if u pass the coursework component previously.....they allow u to simply re-sit the exam or viceversa and bring your marks forward........ if is not standard operatin procedure at the school now, people goh ask questions...........d next ting to find out is if other students in that same situation was afforded that same courtesy....because if not, people might have grounds for legal action.

[zuluwarrior]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/One-by-one-234017531.html

[zuluwarrior]

Anil to Speaker: I want no favours
Story Created: Dec 3, 2013 at 10:25 PM ECT
Story Updated: Dec 4, 2013 at 6:30 PM ECT
 Sport Minister Anil Roberts said yesterday he wants no favours from House Speaker Wade Mark to have any private meeting to discuss Mark’s  Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA).
Instead, he said he will now seek answers from The University of the West Indies (UWI) Pro Vice Chancellor Nigel Harris on the issue.
Roberts boycotted the Parliament sitting Friday and wrote to Mark requesting leave of absence and clarification in the award of his EMBA.
Mark has not responded to Roberts’s letter but told the Express he will not hold any discussion with any MP via the media and that it was unfortunate the minister did not seek to discuss the matter with him privately.
Roberts said yesterday while he respects the decision of the Speaker, he  believes this country deserves an explanation.
“First of all, I would like to thank the Express because without the Express I would not have known that my leave of absence was not granted by the Speaker. I adhere and I respect all the principles, conventions and practices under which the Member of Parliament are bound and under the jurisdiction of the Speaker I respect all his decisions,” said Roberts in a telephone interview.
He pointed out there were repercussions if a member breaches House rules and is not granted leave of absence from the Speaker, and as such, he will continue to attend Parliament as he was elected to represent the people.
“I humbly respectfully decline the Speaker’s offer to have a private back door meeting because this issue is one of public interest and I do not think I need special treatment. I personally do not want any special treatment whatsoever, whether it’s based on my anxiety or my ability to perform well under pressure,” said Roberts.
Roberts noted the full-page newspaper advertisements taken out by The UWI to explain itself on the award of Mark’s EMBA.
He noted further the ad stated that from time to time, based on professional and personal circumstances, students can request concessions which will usually be granted, once they are consistent with The UWI regulations.
Roberts said there were many questions he intends to send to UWI Pro Vice Chancellor Harris on the issue, namely:
• Is it usual for students to request a private sitting of an examination?
• If all 39 participants in the programme request private sitting will they all receive private sittings with 39 invigilators?
• How many previous graduates have been given the opportunity to sit an exam privately with their own special invigilator? If so, why were they granted this concession?
• Are the 14 courses taken as a whole or can they be divided year to year?
• Is it possible to pass course work in one year while failing the exam and in the other year pass the exam and fail the course work yet the two years be taken cumulatively to give an overall pass? Is that the principle and procedure of the university? Is the course itself taken as a whole, i.e. course work and final exam.
Roberts also took issue with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley’s statement that his beef was with The UWI and not Mark.

[zuluwarrior]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Jack-calls-on-Mark-to-give-up-degree-234335181.html

[Tiresais]

How far to have fallen for The most corrupt man in the Caribbean to call for you to drop your degree...

[Jah Gol]

E-mails query suspended NP CEO’s papers
Originally printed at http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/E-mails-query-suspended-NP-CEOs-papers---235818221.html

By Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com
December 13, 2013
E-mails have surfaced purporting to show suspended chief executive officer at National Petroleum (NP), Kenneth Mohammed, does not possess the academic qualifications he says he has.

Contacted yesterday, Mohammed said he was not surprised over the e-mails.

In an e-mail sent yesterday morning to various media houses, the documents attached were exchanges purporting to be from Brooks University, stating Mohammed did not attain an MBA degree from the institution.

Mohammed told the Express in a telephone  interview: “I saw the e-mails.”

He maintained, however, that he does have an MBA in Business Administration from the said university and is ACCA qualified.

“Of course I have my qualifications. I would not have been hired in several international firms if I didn’t,” Mohammed said.

The suspended CEO explained that “two or three months ago when 68 employees were fired” and he was subsequently  suspended, “I got a message from the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU)  saying they would do whatever it takes to discredit me, whether it’s true or false, so I was expecting this a long time ago.”

Adding that he no longer wants to be affiliated with NP, Mohammed said he has tendered his resignation and has already indicated to NP his position will be vacant by month’s end.

“I have already tendered my resignation. I told them I am not coming back. I need to get out of their clutches. ... I will be out of there before the end of the month,” he said.

Stating the letters contained in yesterday’s e-mail “do not even have a letterhead”, Mohammed questioned the wording of the responses, asking: “Why would someone start off by saying dear OWTU”?

“Let them go on, I am having my lawyers respond to Mr OWTU,” he said.

Mohammed claimed the OWTU was trying to discredit him since the union was of the opinion that he acted alone in firing the employees.

“The 68 people who were fired, I didn’t make that decision alone, it was myself, management, the board and the minister. Everyone was consulted and involved. In fact, I had strong views not to fire them and I was suspended,” Mohammed said.

He further claimed his suspension had nothing to do with his qualifications but “a deterioration of my relationship  with the chairman and the board”.

Following the firings, Mohammed claimed he has gotten two death threats and “people calling my phone saying they know where my children live”.

Stating he is a nobody, Mohammed said the issue is now in the hands of his lawyers.

Calls to the cellphone of OWTU president-general Ancel Roget went unanswered yesterday.

On March 1, 2012, Mohammed was appointed CEO on a three-year contract.

He was suspended last October by NP board chairman Neil Gosine.

The company did not state how long Mohammed has been suspended for, but maintained his services were not terminated.

NP has come under scrutiny recently in the award of gas station contracts for new retailers and was investigating bribery allegations in connection with them.

 The State company has received a report following the investigation which identifies a relationship between an NP official and a specific retailer who was granted a lucrative gas station location in June.

Sources told the Express the NP board intends to conduct further investigations into the allegations against the NP official who has been engaged in ongoing discussions with the NP board.

Following the award of gas station contracts after NP issued requests for proposals (RFPs) for 28 stations, among the successful applicants were Damian Lyder, husband of Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Stacy Roopnarine, who was awarded the St Augustine-based station; Basdeo Sharma, ex-husband of restaurateur Jenny Sharma of Jenny’s on the Boulevard, who was assigned the Valencia station; Elie Zakour, a director on the Solid Waste Management Co Ltd board who was assigned the Starlite (Diego Martin) station; and Fides Ltd (whose directors are Amelia Rampersad and Shane Sagar), which was assigned the Tragarete Road, Port of Spain station.

[Flex]

Corruption Galore
...under new procurement bill
By Raphael John-Lall (Guardian).
Monday, April 21, 2014

Burn it, says Winston Riley

The draft Procurement Bill, leaves procurement by the State and State-owned companies wide open to corruption and is a “waste of time” in its present state, said Winston Riley, chairman of the Public Sector/Civil Society Group on Public Procurement.
 
“You can burn the bill as it is a waste of time. There are loans from the international lending agencies for the procurement of goods, works and/or services that are outside of the remit of the Procurement Bill. We know that over 50 per cent of procurement for goods, works and services in our region is outside regulations. “With our approach of government to government it is about 70 per cent in T&T. So what are you having the Procurement Bill for? We are wasting time,” he told the Guardian yesterday in a telephone interview.
 
In the first week of April, the Procurement Bill was brought to the Senate by Planning Minister Bhoe Tewarie, who said the bill would not be debated until three weeks have elapsed to allow time for public scrutiny and discussion. Tewarie said the bill was finally approved by the Legislative Review Committee (LRC) on March 17 and subsequently approved by the Cabinet on March 20.
 
Riley describes Clause 7 of the bill as “disturbing” and said this clause, which excludes government-to-government arrangements from the purview of the legislation, should be removed. “Clause 7 states that the act does not apply to the procurement of goods, works or services arising out of a treaty to which T&T is a party with one or more states or with an international lending agency. Any international treaty that has to do with goods or services is outside the bill.
 
“The Prime Minster just came back from China with billions of dollars worth of investment. There are other government-to-government arrangements on the cards with Austria and Canada. There is the SNC Lavalin matter where the question of the sovereignty of the nation was in question. “If we allow countries to do what they want and choose who they want, then we have left out procurement itself. The core issues in any procurement legislation are accountability, transparency and the efficient use of public money.
 
“Just look at the massive expenditure spent on the National Academy for Performing Arts (Napa) and the Southern Academy for Performing Arts (Sapa) after they were opened.” Riley said the issue of procurement legislation goes back many years. He said 35 years ago the then administration amended the Central Tenders Board Act to exclude government-to-government contracts from the scrutiny of the Central Tenders Board.
 
As a result of that, the government was able to proceed with government-to-government contracts. In an attempt to bypass the public sector slowness, administrations have also set up a plethora of special purpose state-owned enterprises “which destroyed all of our institutions responsible for the delivery of good, works and services utilising public money in T&T. Even now the boards are just areas where you distribute political patronage,” he said.
 
He said there were “shocking” things in the first two or three drafts of the bill. “The bill was a complete replica of several bills. It was highly regulatory, thus in contradiction with Parliament’s directives. The very foundation of the earlier versions of the draft bill was wrong in the first place.” He criticised the Opposition for asking the Government to set up a policy position on the bill as he said this had been done before.
 
“What has been surprising to us was that the Opposition asked the Government to put up a policy position which will carry the whole process backward. The White Paper was accepted as far back as the first budget speech of this Government. I do not wish to comment on why they did this.” Despite this, he said he is in discussions with the Government.
 
“The major objective is that Clause 7 must be deleted or redrafted before the bill comes for debate in Parliament. I am still in consultation with the Minister of Planning  on this issue. We are still hoping changes and amendments will be made to the Bill before it is debated.”

[Socapro]

Hopefully this is not going to end up being the longest thread on this board.

[asylumseeker]

... with or without merger of past bobol?!!!

[AB.Trini]

The use this term loosely to give credence to those who claim to be doing an honest job and really is not. Therefore what is corruption? What are concrete evidence that some action is corrupt unjust? impartial with malice?  Against the norm of acceptable standards?  Knowingly going against the principles and rules of practice.

How do we substantiate what is acceptable? Have we as a society  operate. Under two principles? Those who strive to work and get things done according to the prescribed standards and those who understand that you could get ahead with the private transactions- bribes bypassing procedures and protocols pays offs and handshake agreements? First this is not endemic to just TnT. Again our size of country somehow makes these underhand practices very BIG in the public's eye.

In my opinion not withstanding which political party is in power I would like to suggest that each ministry should have to be accountable to public committee made up of members from each borough. To give accounts of what is being undertaken to improve the lives of citizens in each community in TNT.

It is a shame an unjust shame to read about how some areas are not serve because they voted one way or another and may not have the political affiliation as the ruling party. A government is not voted in to serve those constituents that supported them but to support the entire nation.
To ease those burden of alleged corruption it is time that we engage the population in more matters pertaining to the governance of all aspects  of government from the local borough councils to the national level.

[AB.Trini]

The very cornerstone of what and who we are seeing as our leaders are evidence of this veil contagion that has a repugnant stench that runs rampant over this land like a blanket of cancerous  pus flowing from an open sore to a cesspool of decaying carcass we are drowning in a tsunami of corruption and spinning in a torrential whirlwind to no foreseeable end .

[Flex]

Anti-corruption bill finally passed in Parliament
By Anna Ramdass (Express).

JAIL FOR BOBOL

Legislation to curb corruption in this country was finally passed yesterday in the Senate.

However, the procurement legis­­lation will take around six months before it is proclaimed by President Antho­ny Carmona and comes into effect as a number of mechanisms must be put in place before, says Planning Minister Dr Bho­en­dradatt Tewarie.

The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (No 2) Bill, 2014 was passed with 24 votes in favour from the Government and Independent benches yesterday at the Senate sitting, at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain.

The six Opposition Senators abstained from voting but the bill was passed with the required three-fifths majority.

The bill was first passed unanimously in the Senate in June 2014. It was then passed in the House of Representatives with a Government majority on July 4. It returned to the Senate yesterday for its final passage without amendments.

Speaking to the Express yester­day, Tewarie said there have been many attempts since 1997 to bring procurement legislation to Par­lia­ment, with the former People’s National Movement (PNM) government bringing a white paper in 2005 and draft legislation in 2006.

Tewarie noted the Uff Commission of Enquiry into the Urban Develop­ment Corporation of Tri­ni­dad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), under former executive chairman Calder Hart, in 2010 contained 91 recommendations to

address issues relating to corruption, which meant there were many instances which suggested corrupt practices would have taken place.

He said following this, there was agitation for procurement law and a promise was made by the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led People’s Partnership Government to deliver.

Draft procurement legislation was then sent to a Joint Select Committee (JSC) of Parliament from 2010 and was put on a roller-coaster ride as in 2012, the PNM Oppo­si­tion boycotted the JSC.

Tewarie said it has been a long journey but the country can rest assured legislation to deal with corruption and the draining of the public purse is here.

He noted the new laws will have strong sanctions against bid-rigging, collusion, and heavy fines for anyone in the public or private sector involved in corrupt practices.

He said the law also focused on issues of transparency, accounta­bi­lity, value for money and local industry development.

The fines range from $1 million to $10 million, with the discretion of the judge to include jail terms.

Tewarie explained it was now in the hands of the Finance Ministry to put the necessary requirements in place for the bill to come into effect.

“The next step would be to prepare the groundwork that would be done by the Ministry of Finance, and they have already engaged the United Nations Development Programme to help them with a number of things,” said Tewarie.

These include building functional capacity for the office of procurement regulation, with special emphasis on audit and investigations; provision of technical support for drafting of regulations; addressing things like bid challenges, supplier ineligibility and enforcement by the office of procurement regulations.

Other prerequisites include the provision of support for the development of effective and efficient organisational arrangements for procurement management in ministries and State enterprises.

[Flex]

No construction of community centres in Bon Air, Laventille, but Contractor gets $2.7m.
By Renuka Singh (Guardian).

There are conflicting stories surrounding the payment of over two million dollars for work on two community centres in east Port-of-Spain that never got off the ground. McEachrane’s Rental and Transport Services was paid three cheques totalling over $2.7 million from February to May 2010, for work on the Bon Air Gardens Community Centre and the Marcano Quarry Community Centre, in Laventille, but no work was ever done.

The owner of the company, Victor McEachrane, was awarded both contracts under former minister of Community Development Marlene McDonald. His name is also listed as a director of another organisation, the Calabar Foundation, which also received another $375,000 cheque in May 2010. The company, however, was only legally registered three months later in August 2010, and that cheque was cashed by September 2010.

Calabar Foundation also has two other directors, Michael Carew who has been described as McDonald’s common-law husband of 20 years and his brother, Lennox Carew. McEachrane, in a telephone interview with the Sunday Guardian, confirmed that he and McDonald have been friends since their time together at university.

While McEachrane has defended the payments as “mobilisations fees” and stated that he signed the contracts “some time in May,” the former technical director of the Self-Help programme under the Ministry of Community Development, Etienne Mendez, said that up until he resigned on September 2, 2010, the two contracts were not awarded. Mendez was responsible for the construction of community centres from 2007 to 2010 under McDonald.

Mendez, in a telephone interview yesterday, said it was unclear how a contractor could have been paid for the projects without a formal award in place. “We did identify sites for those two community centres, but no contracts were awarded up until I demitted that post in September,” Mendez said. He said no company should be paid a “mobilisation fee” unless it was awarded a project.

Who checks the cheques?

The cheques contain two signatures of the then permanent secretary Angela Jack and deputy PS Hermia Tyson-Cuffie. Jack, in a telephone interview on Wednesday, added another element to the unfolding story when she claimed that she had no recollection of those cheques. “I left the ministry in August 2010 and I cannot recall those cheques. It was years ago. I suggest you contact the ministry and ask them for the invoices that led to the payment,” Jack said.

The current PS at that ministry, Victor Jones, was unable to assist. Jones, the Sunday Guardian was informed, is in the position for one month up until January 2015 and could not locate the relevant documents. But head of the Public Service, Reynold Cooper, shed some light on how cheques to contractors are paid.

“Yes, the PS is the accounting officer for the ministry but they work closely with the minister and cannot issue a cheque without the minister’s say-so,” Cooper said. “The PS takes instructions from the minister,” Cooper added.

McEachrane: I am innocent

Despite Mendez’s claim that no mobilisation fees could be paid unless a contract was formally awarded, the owner of McEachrane’s Rental and Transport Services, Victor McEachrane, was paid $2.3 million and another $400,000 towards the mobilisation for construction on the Bon Air Community Centre and another $50,000 towards mobilisation for the Marcano Quarry Community Centre.

The question is, where has the money gone? McEachrane has denied any wrongdoing in the matter and maintains that he was paid that money to mobilise workers and pay security for the two projects. McEachrane was also the contractor behind the Sea Lots Community Centre, which was delivered days before the 2010 election.

Yesterday, McEachrane said though the two projects were tendered, no company wanted the jobs because of where they were located. He said the $2.3 million payment represented a percentage of the actual cost of the contract. “The money I was paid did not end up in my pocket. After taxes, that $2.3 million was only about $2 million and that was to mobilise workers for the community centres,” McEachrane said. He claimed that after the 2010 election, the People’s Partnership stalled the two projects.

McDonald was the minister from 2007 to May 2010. “I cannot answer any questions on Calabar Foundation or why it got a cheque before it was registered,” McEachrane said. “I was only asked to be a director on a charity foundation but I never had anything to do with that,” he said.

[Flex]

CU manager on $50m fraud charge.
By Derek Achong (Guardian).

A manager at Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) Employees’ Credit Union was denied bail when he appeared in court yesterday to answer a $50 million fraud charge.

Darren Singh, 35, of Claxton Bay, appeared before Magistrate Adrian Darmanie in the Port-of-Spain Tenth Court.

He is accused of using a fraudulent document to transfer a substantial sum from the organisation’s Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) account to another account at Republic Bank’s branch,Tropical Plaza, Point Lisas.

The charge did not indicate whether Singh was able to withdraw the money after the transfer or if the money had been recouped by the credit union.

The transfer allegedly took place on January 18, 2013. However, the Fraud Squad was only able to intervene late last year when the credit union discovered the discrepancy and reported it.

Singh was arrested late last week, spent the weekend in police custody before being brought to court yesterday.

His lawyer Candace Lopez attempted to secure bail for the father of five who, she said, was the sole breadwinner for his family.

“While I admit that my client may not be a perfect man, he has agreed to abide by all the conditions that will be placed by the court in granting bail,” Lopez said as she assured Darmanie that her client would not abscond from future court appearances.

Lopez’s application was met with opposition from court prosecutor Sgt Callistas Charles who objected on a number of grounds, including the seriousness of the offence, the amount involved and the strength of the State’s case against Singh.

Charles also said the Fraud Squad was investigating allegations of threats being made to witnesses in the case.

Lopez disagreed with Charles’s witness tampering allegation as she said that it was devoid of any evidence.

Nonetheless Darmanie eventually agreed with Charles.

He stated he would only feel comfortable in granting bail after he views Singh’s criminal record which was not available during yesterday hearing.

Singh is also being represented by attorney Martin George. Lopez is expected to reapply for bail for Singh when he reappears in court tomorrow.

[Flex]

Ganga defends $.5m ad campaign
By Anna Ramdass

Since its creation in July 2012, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has spent just over half a million dollars in advertisements in the media and public relations campaigns.

In response to a question from Opposition Senator Camille Robinson-Regis during the Senate sitting yesterday, Environment Minister Ganga Singh disclosed that $568,590.52 was spent in advertisements for the period July 2012 to November 2014.

Robinson-Regis questioned if a tendering process was used to determine which media houses got ads.

Singh said the managers of the communications units were the ones who decided “where they get bank for their buck”.

Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi questioned if the expenditure for advertising would be revised given the “austere” situation with falling oil prices.

“We do not regard the situation as being austere,” said Singh adding: “Even before the drop in oil prices, we got value for money in the way we manage our affairs.”

The ministry’s expenditure on advertising by year is displayed below.

[Bourbon]

You feel they care? PR making money! Every single electronic billboard in the country have government ads running on it..."Your Government working for you"...and from when I enquired on behalf of an organization...the lowest cost was 20000 for a six week period. And this wasnt in a densely populated area. Just ONE billboard. When I study it I get vex and went and file for my tax return..cause I could find better use for my money.


Far less for the others, and for as long. Of course Ganga Singh go say " We do not regard the situation as being austere." and "We got value for money in the way we manage our affairs."

More like they got the value of the money from managing their affairs.

[Socapro]

Gary passes more info to cops
‘I was fired for telling the truth’
By Radica Sookraj (T&T Guardian)
Published: Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Soca artiste Iwer George, centre, embraces Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal and Gary Griffith behind the North Stand during Panorama semi-finals at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain on Sunday.
PHOTO: CLYDE LEWIS

Minutes after he was fired, former Minister of National Security Gary Griffith said he had passed information to the police about another investigation involving his former Cabinet colleagues.
 
Griffith, however, denied he was asked to resign by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, as she had stated in her address to the nation, instead saying he was fired for speaking the truth although he was never implicated in the Section 34 fiasco involving former attorney general Anand Ramlogan.
 
“I was fired, I did not resign. There is a difference,” Griffith said when asked if he had offered his resignation to the Prime Minister.
 
Asked if he was disappointed that he was unable to fulfill his plans in the fight against crime, Griffith said, “No, it is the Prime Minister’s right to do what she did. I will continue to stand for principle.”
 
Saying his firing was a “red herring,” Griffith reiterated that he was never part of any investigation over the Section 34 issue.
 
“The Prime Minister said it was because of my involvement in an investigation. There is no cloud hanging over my head.
 
“What I am is a credible witness that can assist the police in the investigation. I was not a person of interest, a suspect, nor was I ever implicated in any of this,” Griffith said.
 
Saying the incident was rather unfortunate, Griffith confirmed attempts were made by his former Cabinet colleagues to sway him after he made a statement corroborating those made by Police Complaints Authority Director David West. That matter is now before the police.
 
“Because of my military training I will not tell what you want to hear, I will tell you what you need to know. I spoke the truth and I do not intend to shift my principles. I have no regrets,” Griffith said.
 
Griffith said he knew the repercussions of speaking the truth but chose to stand for principle, saying people should not sell themselves for personal gain.
 
“I’m a soldier before a politician, I will always be a soldier. I am proud of what I have done. The politicians have to start operating in the same manner.”

[Bourbon]

This story get missed. Cliff Notes:

Two attorneys shared an office. One left. The other while clearing up...found some high court documents that probably should not have been removed. One of those attorneys often receives several state briefs.....and has had some questionable stories following him. So....I'd hope you could follow why cynical me could read this and be concerned.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/police-file-missing-293094031.html

police file missing
DCP Hackett: The matter is being looked into with a degree of urgency

By Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Feb 20, 2015 at 10:22 PM ECT
Story Updated: Feb 20, 2015 at 10:22 PM ECT
The police report into the circumstances surrounding the removal of documents from the Port of Spain High Court which were later found in the office of a private attorney has gone missing.

Police sources told the Express yesterday efforts to locate the file have been unsuccessful and a probe has been launched to ascertain its whereabouts.

Sources say following calls by the Express to acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams two weeks ago about the status of the investigation, the top cop mandated his Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Glenn Hackett to enquire about the status of the investigation.

The file containing the report was discovered missing last week after several searches were conducted.

Sources further told the Express the investigation in 2011 was conducted by a sergeant attached to Special Branch and upon completion was submitted to his superior. (Note....this story only broke 2015. So nothing since 2011 was done? )

Whether the file was passed to then commissioner of police Dwayne Gibbs remains unknown.

Contacted yesterday for a comment Hackett said, “The matter is being looked into with a degree of urgency.” He refused to comment further when pressed.

News of the missing file comes one day after Chief Justice Ivor Archie issued a release stating he was puzzled by media reports that attorney Mark Seepersad had said he was not interviewed by the police.

According to Archie: “The Judiciary can confirm it is in possession of a Trinidad and Tobago Police Service report dated February 10, 2011, which states that Mr Seepersad was indeed interviewed and which gives details of his responses.”

Prior to this release being issued, Archie on February 13 said: “The Judiciary is aware of comments in the media concerning the discovery in October 2010 of court documents at the offices of an attorney-at-law. The matter was referred to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) for investigation in November 2010.

“A report from the TTPS on said investigation was submitted to the Judiciary in May 2011. The report indicated that, after the interview of various individuals, no further police action in the matter was found to be warranted.

“No disciplinary action was taken by the Judiciary against the officer involved in the incident and she has since left the organisation.”

But Seepersad in an interview with the Express on February 13 said he was unaware of any police investigation taking place and was never interviewed.

He again reiterated his position on Thursday moments after Archie’s release, saying he was never interviewed by police.

Seepersad said: “I have since written to the administrative secretary to the Chief Justice bringing certain matters to his attention and until I’m sure it has come to his attention, I do not see it appropriate to comment at this time.”


CASE HISTORY


In 2010, Seepersad reported to then registrar of the Supreme Court Evelyn-Ann Petersen that court documents were found on the premises of the law chambers he shared with attorney Gerald Ramdeen.. (Check this name out.)

By letter dated November 15, 2010 addressed to Petersen, Seepersad wrote that he and Ramdeen shared law chambers at Unit 1, 27 Stone Street, Port of Spain, when he decided to dissolve the partnership.

Seepersad said on November 1, 2010, while packing the remaining documents left behind by Ramdeen, he found a box which contained a number of documents and personal effects belonging to the court.

“On inspection, I found a number of documents which, to my mind, appeared to be documents of the High Court and, in particular, the Registrar’s Chambers,” he wrote.

Seepersad said he also found “a hard-cover notebook which was labelled ‘File Movement Book’ belonging to Justice Lennox Deyalsingh (now retired). I formed the view that these documents were the property of the High Court and as such should be in the custody of the Registrar of the Supreme Court”.

In his statement to Petersen, Seepersad named Asha Harripaul as being a frequent visitor to the chambers he once shared with Ramdeen.

Harripaul was once employed as a judicial support officer (JSO) at the High Court. She resigned in June 2014 from the Judiciary. Sources say Harripaul is now employed as a staff attorney at the legal offices of Anand R Misir, which is located on Harris Street, San Fernando. (I wonder..... )

The Express understands that in her statement to police and the Judiciary, Harripaul said she was not assigned any permanent desk and was asked to remove her belongings from the space occupied by another JSO.

“I then took the box and asked Mr Gerald Ramdeen if he would keep the box at his office for me until I get a desk so I could put the stuff back,” she told police.

Harripaul further explained that she knew Ramdeen, and having given him the box in early 2010, she forgot all about it until January 5, 2011, after receiving a call from Sgt Guevarro who indicated he wished to speak with her about the documents.

Apart from Harripaul, Ramdeen was also interviewed by the police.

In an e-mailed response sent on January 31 following a request for comment from the Express, Ramdeen said in 2011 he was asked to attend an interview “with a police officer concerning a box containing certain items that was delivered to the Registrar of the Supreme Court by a former member of my law chambers, Mr Mark Seepersad”.

He said he attended “the interview voluntarily” and was not quizzed about any boxes of documents.

“I know nothing about documents belonging to judges nor was I asked about same. I was not asked anything about boxes of documents. This is the first time I am hearing of this,” he told the Express.

When the issue was first raised by the Express, Archie on January 29 said through his communications department that he was aware of the matter which was brought to his attention by Petersen. He said a file was sent to Gibbs and he was unable to give a status update into the investigation.

The Judiciary has since issued two releases on the issue.

[Bakes]

This story get missed. Cliff Notes:

Two attorneys shared an office. One left. The other while clearing up...found some high court documents that probably should not have been removed. One of those attorneys often receives several state briefs.....and has had some questionable stories following him. So....I'd hope you could follow why cynical me could read this and be concerned.

A junior attorney done say is she who brought the boxes to the shared office and fuhget them there.

[Bourbon]

This story get missed. Cliff Notes:

Two attorneys shared an office. One left. The other while clearing up...found some high court documents that probably should not have been removed. One of those attorneys often receives several state briefs.....and has had some questionable stories following him. So....I'd hope you could follow why cynical me could read this and be concerned.

A junior attorney done say is she who brought the boxes to the shared office and fuhget them there.

Sounds familiar.

Junior clerk made some documentation error with chassis numbers with Range Rovers.
Junior clerk inadvertently sent out court information to plantiff via email...bypassing his legal representative and the defendant's legal team.
Junior clerk forgetting files at the office.

[AB.Trini]

Snakes in the Grass
Adapted from Lyrics sung by Steel Pulse

Every time you go out in the public
You get scared and you start to panic
Who got a gun
A who got a bomb
Who got a knife
Who's gonna lose their life
So-called leaders aide with deceitful faces
Corruption in a high place
You hands full with bribes
Mouth pours out lies yea
Cause of all oppression now
Running for protection

Chorus
Trinidad I wouldn't like you now
Snakes in the grass say they know not God
Polticiantricksters drinking human blood
Concrete heart can hold no love
I just can't sorry for Trinidad
Bullet-proof vest strap to your chest
Under your collar is getting hot whoa
Who got a gun
Who got a bomb
Who got a knife
Who's gonna lose their life

Chorus
Trinidad I wouldn't like you now
Snakes in the grass they know not God
Politiciantrickers drinking human blood
Concrete heart can hold no love
Trinidad I wouldn't like you now
Snakes in the grass says they know not God
Politiciantrickers drinking human blood
Concrete heart can hold no love

Hey hey don't feel no way
I just can't sorry for Trinidad
Who got a gun
Who got a bomb
Who got a knife
Who's gonna lose their life

Chorus
Trinidad I wouldn't like you now
Snakes in the grass they know not God
Politicantrickers drinking human blood
Concrete heart can hold no love
Trinidad I wouldn't like you now
Snakes in the grass says they know not God
Polytricksters drinking human blood
Concrete heart I say can't hold no love

Watch it all you leaders Who whoee
Heads of government Who whoee
Mash down parliaments Who Who

I just can't sorry for Trinidad Who
I just can't sorry for Trinidad
All that corruption
All that crime

[Flex]

$157M for failed Las Alturas Towers
By Andre Bagoo (Newsday).

THERE was not only one, but in fact two contracts —- awarded by two separate State agencies and totalling about $157 million — for the failed Las Alturas Towers project at Morvant, the inquiry appointed to probe the housing development heard yesterday, as the Chinese contractor which benefitted from these contracts blanked the opening day of evidence.

At the start of a day which saw an extensive opening statement read into the transcript by Pamela Elder SC, counsel to the inquiry, Elder placed on record the fact that no official from the China Jiangsu International Corporation (CJIC) was present.

“China Jiangsu, who was made a party at the last sitting, is not present,” Elder told the commissioners at the first-floor courtroom of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain.

“An invitation was issued to CJIC to make an opening statement, but they have declined.”

At the same time, Elder read a detailed time-line which disclosed that two separate contracts had been awarded to the firm by two separate state agencies for the same project, in circumstances which one commissioner described as “troubling.”

The exact quantum of money disbursed to the firm under the two contracts was not stated by Elder, who continues her opening statement today.

However, the senior counsel painted a picture of under-bidding, arbitrary variations from a wide range of officials not limited to the company, project cost hikes ostensibly on the basis of increased costs for materials and ever-changing plans.

Also, correspondence suggested that all stakeholders — from the state agencies involved to the consultants, designers and contractor — were aware of serious slippage problems at the site of the project, but decided to proceed notwithstanding.

“The citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago who were in dire need of low-cost housing and to whom occupation of such apartments would have been the realisation of a dream, never occupied the apartments, the reason being the apartments experienced significant structural damage which rendered them uninhabitable,” Elder stated.

The Las Alturas project (the name is Spanish for “the heights”) dated back to 2002. Elder said the project was handled by two State agencies successively. Phase one involved the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) and then phase two involved the Housing Development Corporation (HDC). The second phase started in 2006.

Udecott purchased the land for the site, off the Lady Young Road, on September 26, 2002, for $3.5 million, but no documents have shed any light on the site selection process, Elder said. The project went through several permutations.

At one stage, nine four-storey buildings were planned. After the construction of two, eight more buildings were planned pursuant to a re-design which introduced townhouses.

Udecott invited seven companies to submit tenders, three did so. CJIC submitted its tender on December 17, 2003 for $67.6 million which was the lowest tender by $10.7 million. The consultant, Planning Associates Limited, recommended the firm be awarded the contract, but advised that justification be sought on the low pricing, Elder said. Anthony Farrell, one of the three commissioners hearing the inquiry, queried whether this ever took place. Elder said there was as yet no evidence that it did. Farrell also said he was troubled by the circumstances of the award.

“Something has been troubling me,” he told Elder. “The tender of CJIC was (some time) before the award of the contract. There is usually a validity period. Was there any evidence to suggest that CJIC was asked to re-evaluate their tender?”

“We have not seen that,” Elder said. Instead, in 2004, the Udecott board, chaired by Calder Hart, unanimously agreed to award a contract to the firm in the amount bid for the construction of 297 apartments. A contract was signed on June 30, 2004. The sum was for $67.6 million VAT inclusive.

But at the first site meeting on December 13, 2004, CJIC stated that they were in the process of reviewing the contract sum, “since it may not be realistic”.The firm wrote Udecott saying their tender price was too low due to an increase in the price or materials. Udecott agreed that increased cost of materials would be “re-imbursed” if they exceeded 15 percent, Elder said.

Then, HDC took over the project. When this occurred a second contract was entered into with the same firm.

Elder said in January 2008, HDC and CJIC entered into a second contract for the construction of 90 apartment units and 44 town houses at the same site, or 134 units in total, at a contract price of $74 million. She said under the Udecott contract the remaining buildings to be built had amounted to 257 since the Udecott contract had been for 297 units, 60 of these had been completed. Although HDC’s contract with CJIC was for 134 units, there was a price increase of $7.2 million.

Then, even as serious evidence of site instability was discovered, the HDC continued to push forward with the project and to award greater sums to the same contractor. In fact, they awarded $24.8 million in “variations”. It was identified by an expert that correction of the slope problem could cost US$2 million (TT$12.6 million) to US $3 million. ($18.9 million).

“In April 2010, notwithstanding the cracking, settlement and movement of buildings H and I, the board of directors of HDC unanimously approved variations in the sum of $24.8 million,” Elder said. This meant the revised contract price for the second contract was $89.9 million, VAT exclusive. Farrell questioned why the sum was not $98.8 million. But it was pointed out that the second figure was VAT exclusive.

The inquiry is chaired by retired Justice Mustapha Ibrahim and its other member is Myron Wing-Sang Chin.

[Sando prince]

FIU probing 131 $$ transactions

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-03-03/fiu-probing-131-transactions

A total of 131 suspicious transactions have been forwarded for investigation by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), an increase of 32, over the previous year. In its 2013-2014 annual report, which was submitted by FIU head Susan Francois to Finance Minister Larry Howai last Friday, 17 Suspicious Transaction Reports/Suspicious Activity Reports (STRs/SARs) were submitted, carrying a total monetary value of $698 million while for the same period last year, that figure stood at $1.12 billion.

The report found that just one per cent or six people who were reported for suspected suspicious transactions fell under the politically exposed persons umbrella. The FIU also completed financial analysis on 515 STRs/SARs, which is made up of 513 money laundering issues and two financing of terrorism cases. The report found that of the 515 cases analysed, 323 were filed away for intelligence purposes while further in-depth analysis was conducted on the remaining 192 cases.

Of those 192 cases, 131 reports were generated and sent to the law enforcement agencies and a further two have been sent to the Commissioner of Police. “The FIU received five STRs/SARs relating to financing of terrorism. Analysis was completed on two financing of terrorism STRs/SARs which were forwarded to the Commissioner of Police and ongoing analysis is being completed on the remaining three.

The report said the number of intelligence reports disseminated to law enforcement authorities was “significant” and also highlighted several trends and money laundering patterns, including an increase in real estate purchases. “There has been an increase in the number of persons, both local and foreign, purchasing real estate with cash. In some instances, the purchaser may be acting on behalf of a third party,” the report stated.

The FIU also found increased indications of identity fraud and identity theft. It also found increased incidents of non-nationals, who live in T&T sending “frequent and large amounts of money to their home countries by wire transfers to both family and non-family members.”

The report also indicated an increase in the intra-island money transfers. According to the FIU there is now an expanded “network of senders across the country transferring funds via money or value transfer services to individuals in close proximity to the senders’ location. The funds remitted are usually under $500,” the report noted. The FIU also sent 17 requests for information to government agencies relating to specified categories of offenses.