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Summons for former UNC ministers

By Ria Taitt, www.newsday.co.tt

Fifteen summonses have been issued for high-ranking UNC officials. Among them are three former ministers and several UNC businessmen, all of whom were heavily involved in the construction of the billion dollar Piarco Airport project. Senior officers told Newsday that the 15 were summoned and are to appear before the Anti-Corruption Squad office with their lawyers. The summones were signed by assistant DPP Carla Brown-Antoine. It is understood that they would then be charged with offences relating to what investigators have described as a "$1.2 billion conspiracy" to siphon off funds from the taxpayer-funded airport development.

However, of the 15 persons, one has already managed to escape the net, having fled the country to Costa Rica, a country with which Trinidad and Tobago has no extradition treaty. Sources stated that in order to make sure that none of the others escaped, flight risk advisories were issued, alerting the airport authorities in the event that the persons attempted to leave the country. Sources stated that the money was secretly stashed in off-shore accounts in the name of several dummy corporations located in the Bahamas, New Jersey and Miami. Sources said that charges were also likely to be laid against the UNC, since some of the funds were traced to the election campaign. UNC leader Basdeo Panday last night dismissed the reports, saying that it was diversionary tactics being employed by the Government to distract public attention from its current problems. He said he was waiting to see exactly what the charges were.

The charges come after two years of investigations by Bob Lindquist and a Commission of Inquiry under former Chief Justice, Clinton Bernard. Sources also stated that a major breakthrough was made when Senior Superintendents Maurice Piggott and Wellington Virgil visited England in December. During this visit, the duo secured vital documents from a major off-shore bank which played a key role in the investigations. The investigations, which sources stated were "very comprehensive," were also conducted by Canadian forensic accountant Bob Lindquist and led to the tracing of money arising out the airport contract to accounts all over the world. Lindquist was first hired by former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj to examine the airport contract. His report, which questioned the integrity of the process, laid the basis for further investigation. The PNM then appointed a Commission of Inquiry which reported staggering details of corrupt activities.

The report had expressed concern and alarm at the "rip-off" of taxpayers’ money. The report, which contained a dossier on key players, accused one Cabinet minister of abusing the public trust and giving the project an open cheque book. It called for his role to be investigated by the police. Another minister was accused of manipulating the whole process of the project. And yet another was accused of gross misconduct with respect to the appointment of one of the consultants. The report advised that certain matters be investigated by the police.

Sudama: It could have been stopped

FORMER government minister Trevor Sudama last night said former PM Basdeo Panday should have investigated alleged corruption deals at the Piarco Airport project. Sudama said that had Panday done so, summonses may not have been issued to 15 persons - reportedly including former government ministers and businessmen - yesterday. According to reports, police investigators have uncovered $1.2 billion from that project in overseas bank accounts and dummy companies.

Sudama told Newsday that if the reports are true, it appears that "substantial evidence" has been uncovered. He said while no government could investigate every single allegation of impropriety, "if this thing (alleged corruption at Piarco) was inquired," yesterday’s situation could have been pre-empted. Sudama said the reported $1.2 billion figure also suggests that only $400 million was spent on the airport but conceded that all the facts were not yet known. The former minister said yesterday’s events should serve as a warning to all public officials who contemplate engaging in corrupt practices. Sudama, together with former Cabinet ministers Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Ralph Maraj, were dismissed from the Panday regime for speaking out against alleged corruption under the UNC. Maharaj, who was attorney general in that government, when contacted last night said he had nothing to say on the matter.

Panday: Airport summonses a PNM red herring

FORMER prime minister Basdeo Panday and his former works minister Sadiq Baksh last night described reports of summonses issued for the arrests of 15 persons (including former government ministers) regarding the Piarco Airport project as just another PNM "red herring." According to reports, police investigators have uncovered $1.2 billion from the Piarco project stashed in overseas bank accounts and summonses have been issued for 15 persons. The reports alleged that former government ministers and businessmen linked to the project, which occurred under the UNC, are included in the group.

Responding to the news, Panday said he wanted to get the facts of the matter. "What is this based on? What is it about? Who are the persons involved and what is the evidence against them? We shall simply have to wait and see if this is just another red herring. I know Mr Manning will love a diversion at this time," he declared. Panday recalled that a Commission of Inquiry into that project was held, but its subsequent report was never published because the Prime Minister said it had to be sanitised. "I don’t know what that meant but we shall simply wait and see," Panday said.

The former prime minister recalled that his government "put in the hands of NIPDEC the building of the airport so that anything that has happened after that will be NIPDEC in my view." However, Panday added: "Then again, anything can happen with this government." Baksh, who was line minister during the initial phases of the project, said: "I have been hearing that for the longest time. The PNM needs this more than ever. They are under heavy jamming." The former minister said the PNM was trying to divert attention from recent demolition at Cashew Gardens and Wallerfield. Baksh declared that he was not bothered by the reports and vowed that neither he nor the population would be sidetracked.

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