Nov. 28, 2002
By Charleen Thomas, Newsday TT

COMMISSION Chairman Clinton Bernard stopped a line of questioning relating to the receipt of payments for ads placed in an Airport Authority (AA) magazine, after the witness said he believed former Chairman Tyrone Gopee or Hansib Publications Ltd (HPL) allegedly received the monies instead of the authority.

Current Chairman of the authority Linus Rogers was continuing his evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco airport project at the Caribbean Court of Justice, Port-of-Spain, when Bernard advised attorney Justin Phelps, "to leave it there" since the matter may have to be "investigated elsewhere".

Rogers was at the time reading letters inviting several concessionaires to advertise at a discounted price in the authority's special magazine, "Tranquil and Terrific". Rogers said he found no receipts at the authority showing payments for the ads. He said if the ads were sold, then payments should have been to the authority.

He alleged that the funds may have been collected by either Hansib Publications Ltd (HPL) who was contracted to do the magazines or Tyrone Gopee, former Chairman of the authority. However Chairman of the Commission, Clinton Bernard, stopped the line of questioning, advising that it raised a prima facie matter.

Rogers also testified yesterday that a report from the Ministry of Works has stated that slope failure on a drain parallel to the northern taxi-way at the Piarco airport, has caused the foundation of the taxiway to show signs of foundation failure and could result in it becoming non operational.

The August 2002 report from the Director of Drainage of the Ministry of Works and Transport, recommends that the drain be walled or paved in an appropriate design. But to date no work has been done on the drain. So far the Airports Authority (AA) has only done emergency work on the taxi-way to remedy depressions.

Rogers agreed with Phelps that the report was condemning the work of contractor NCL and was in fact confirming it was "shoddy".

Rogers said as far as he was aware the report was passed to NIPDEC. The report was commissioned by the Ministry through its client representative, Peter Cateau, based on the request of Rogers.

Rogers further revealed that the manager of Royal Castle, of which Ish Galbaransingh Chairman of NCL, is a director, had written the authority late last year and early this year, seeking a reduction in rent for its operations at the airport, because its exclusive dining area was changed to accommodate the general public. Rogers said Royal Castle's request was that it should not pay for the dining area. He agreed that it was preferential treatment, but he was unable to say why it was given.

Rogers said the authority had agreed to decrease the rent, but he couldn't say if the request was ever complied with. He said the authority's management was currently looking into the matter. Rogers said other concessionaires with dining space, KFC and Pizza Boys, were not granted such a concession. He said Pizza Boys had asked the new Board for such, but was denied.

Rogers said invoices found at the authority also showed that HPL sub-contracted work to Cariflex. He said he also found reports from HPL on the Quality Control aspect of its contract, however from perusal of the reports, he concluded that they were "worthless" to the authority. Rogers said it contained information the authority already knew.

On another issue, that of payment to Calmaquip on its maintenance contract, Rogers said to date the Miami company has been paid TT$35 million. He agreed that prior to the opening of the airport to the travelling public in May 2001, Calmaquip had received $10.5 million.

Rogers said invoices showed that the first payment was made on December 12, 2000 in the sum of TT$1.9 million as the first quarterly payment for December 2000 to February 2001. After eight days of evidence, Rogers concluded his testimony following an hour long "in camera" session.

The inquiry continues today.