*****The OFFICIAL Corruption Thread*****

[joker]

Ah hear They teifing too much in so little time....but I have good roads and water....anyone hear about some building in Tabaquite and Holland?? The ex mayor of chag involved

[desifemlove]

^^Why should he?

If someone doesn't like you, would you kill yourself?

Has he done anything wrong?

The PNM fears him just like they feared JW now JW and the PNM on the same side.

He can't be bullied by the PNM and his reputation as a winner against OPV and WGTL is frowned upon...especially since he going after Prof. Ken Julien.

He ent...

but scandal after scandal ent looking good for he or de PM/UNC.

[bluefete]

[RASC]

Everyone who was pro PNM was at the march.
Suddenly a small group of "PNM" supporters appear out of no where, decide to not attend the march and go down where all the other pp supporters are with racist, derogatory placards?

This govt really think we are a bunch of fools. They will stoop to new lows without remorse.

Days=Numbered.

[de_dougla_smurf]

BUT WHO S FIXING T&T

*buzz*

What are Party Financiers?

Contract bobol for $1600 please.

[mrtrini45]

BUT WHO S FIXING T&T

*buzz*

What are Party Financiers?

Contract bobol for $1600 please.

BUT WHO S FIXING T&T

not the pnm they were fixing there pockets

[mrtrini45]

how come they not with the main protest group in woodfoord sq and along st vincent street but with the ppg supporters quite by tower d? plan backfire badly. its obvious which political party is pushing the racial divide in the country.

its your party and leader of the pnm dont try to change it

[rfari]

how come they not with the main protest group in woodfoord sq and along st vincent street but with the ppg supporters quite by tower d? plan backfire badly. its obvious which political party is pushing the racial divide in the country.

its your party and leader of the pnm dont try to change it

If u buy it, np. After all yall bought anil roberts story too

[de_dougla_smurf]

BUT WHO S FIXING T&T

*buzz*

What are Party Financiers?

Contract bobol for $1600 please.

BaAaa baaaa baaa. Baaaaa baaa baaaaa.

Typical response as expected.

ImageUploadedByTriniTuner1400943245.697113.jpg (38.59 KiB) Viewed 4632 times

[UML]

IC investigates ex PM
Thursday, May 22 2014

THE Integrity Commission (IC) is still investigating two complaints of corruption against a former Prime Minister in respect to an agreement entered into with the Jamaat al Muslimeen.

This was disclosed in the Commission’s annual report which was laid in Parliament.

The Commission is also investigating four complaints against former Prime Minister Patrick Manning, alleging breaches of the Integrity in Public Life Act (IPLA) in the award of land and construction of the Church of Light House. The Commission received a total of 92 complaints in 2013 with 35 pending investigations.

In those pending investigations, persons have been interviewed, statements recorded and documents have been obtained. The complaints include allegations that a Senator may have abused his power or misbehaved in public office in a request to the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority. It is also investigating complaints of allegations of breaches of the IPLA by a former minister of government in relation to the solicitation of donations from contractors. There were also two complaints alleging of irregularities in the importation of vehicles by a minister of government. There is also a complaint alleging impropriety in the award of contracts at the Cipriani College of Labour. There were several complaints within State agencies and companies. One was a complaint alleging irregularities in the hiring practices at the Public Transport Service Corporation, another, alleging a conspiracy to defraud at the National Quarries Company Limited. The Commission is also investigating a complaint of human resource issues at the National Lotteries Control Board and a complaint alleging that officials at the Water and Sewerage Authority allowed the use of company vehicles to transport workers to vote in the Public Services Association election.

The Commission also indicated that as of January 31, 2014, it engaged its attention in 13 ex parte applications against persons in public life who were yet to fully comply with their duties and obligations under the IPLA with regard to their respective declarations. Of the declarants served with the duly obtained court orders, three persons are yet to comply and the Commission is considering its legal recourse with regard to these persons. There are also two ex parte applications awaiting the hearing before the High Court.

[j.o.e]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/-bi ... &smobile=y

Several Government Ministries, including the Ministry of Finance, lack documentation to justify multi-million dollar expenses, the Auditor General’s Report on Trinidad and Tobago’s public accounts for Government’s financial year 2013 (October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013) has shown.

The worst offenders were the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Not only did the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources fail to provide documents to support three payments totalling $266,569,000, it was not transparent with documents or answers to questions asked by the Auditor General.

The Ministry of Science and Technology failed to provide documents to the Auditor General for $19.3 million.

“In contravention of the Auditor General’s right of access to documents on demand, critical records/documents such aas project files, contracts, bills, quotations, completion certificates, progress reports or status reports were not produced for audit. As a result, the validity of payments made totalling $19,300,000 on nine projects, the status of completion of each and adherence to relevant terms and conditions could not be ascertained,” the report noted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to provide documents for 40 vouchers for contract employees valued at $6.1 million.

The report, dated April 29, 2014 and signed by Auditor General Sharon Ottley, also raised concerns about overpayments by ministries, lack of documentation to support contracted workers by the state and lack of proper accounting management by officers in charge of protecting the public purse.

There was also failure in many instances to respond to requests for more expenditure information, the Auditor General’s report stated.

The state of internal audit functions in the Ministries and Departments “remains a matter of grave concern as in prior years”, noted Ottley in her annual report.

She noted that the examination of records and documents showed that in many instances there was non-compliance with financial instructions, financial regulations and other financial directives while reports on appropriation accounts did not match what was produced for examination during the audit.

“The audit revealed numerous instances at various Ministries/Departments where Financial Regulations and Instructions as discussed at paragraph 1.6 continue to be disregarded. A pervasive need was identified for training of staff of Ministries and Departments in accounting regulations and procedures with a view to enhancing accountability and good governance,” she said.

She noted that there are examples of “weaknesses in the system of internal control, as well as non-compliance with legislative requirements and/or financial directives” and a general lack of proper maintenance of the relevant subsidiary books and records.

“There were numerous instances were documents were requested for audit purposes were not produced. This represents a serious breach both of the Auditor General’s constitutional and legal right to access to all documents relating to the Public Accounts and of financial and accountability requirements,” she noted.



Recurring Offences



Contract Employees



Payments to contact employees, from information received from 28 permanent secretaries, totaled $415,836,835.32. That sum was paid to 3,450 persons employed in contract positions during the financial year ended September 30, 2013.

“The audit highlighted that duly executed contracts were not produced for several of those officers and as such the various terms of engagement could not be verified,” it said.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service had the most contracted workers with 547; the Ministry of National Security with 423; the Ministry of Health with 391; and the Ministry of Finance and Economy with 321.

“As in the prior year, the examination of contract employment revealed that in many instances, terms and conditions approved by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) and/or signed contracts were not seen. In response to the observations raised accounting officers have indicated that matters are with the personnel department for action,” the report said. (See Table 1)



Inventory Control



During the period 2009 to 2013, Government spent $2.2 billion in inventory.

But there were also cases of theft and losses reported.

For the financial year 2013, there were 42 cases of thefts and losses of state property totaling $301,408.10. There were 23 cases under $5,000 for a total value of $38,180.49 and 19 cases in excess of $5,000 totalling $263,227.61.

The Ministry of Education had 16 cases under $5,000 totalling $27,275. and nine cases totaling $74,790.85.

The Ministry of Food Production had four cases of theft totaling $126,785.85.



Lease Agreements



Signed lease agreements were not produced for audit for certain properties for which rental payments were made.

The Ministry of the Attorney General did not provide leases for five properties that had amounted to monthly rentals of $961,745.00.

The Environmental Commission did not provide a lease for its offices, which had been $106,777.50 and reduced to $66,527.50.

The Ministry of Tobago Development did not provide leases for four properties amounting to $596,103.65 a month.



Overpayments



The Auditor General noted that overpayments continue to be a major concern since they result in time and other resources being spent on accounting, recovery, reporting and auditing as well as, at times, emotional factors involved in the recovery process.

The report noted that a comparison of information presented in the Notes to the Appropriation Accounts of Ministries/Departments with the records of the Auditor General’s Department revealed that with respect to certain Ministries/Departments reports were not received in the Auditor General’s Department in several instances. A number of cases were also noted where the information presented in the Appropriation Accounts differed from that reported to the Auditor General.

(See Table 2)



Ministry of Finance and the Economy



• From a sample of 211 vouchers examined, evidence was not seen that in four Divisions, quotations were obtained for the purchase of items on the ‘open market’ in 44 instances with a total value of $1,790,178.36. This contravenes Financial Regulation (Stores) 31 as well as Central Tenders Board Circular Memorandum CTB: 4/2/6 Vol. 1 dated July 26, 2004.

• During the period reviewed of October 2012 to March 2013, amounts totalling $3,555,541.55 were paid to one provider for security services ($1,389,065.05) and for janitorial services ($2,166,496.50). Contract agreements were not seen. These payments also exceeded the Permanent Secretary’s authorised expenditure limit of $1,000,000. The approval of the Central Tenders Board for the provision of these services was not seen.

• From a sample of 15 vouchers selected for Other Contracted Services, two vouchers totalling $974,625 were not supported by original invoices.

• Financial Instruction 108(4) which requires the Accounting Officer to “personally countersign vouchers covering transactions affected in previous years” was not seen to be followed in five instances for payments to one provider totalling $3,357,224.33.



Customs and Excise Division



• Two cheques dated September 25, 2013 and which totalled $795,000 for the purchase of three motor vehicles were seen on hand during the audit exercise in December 2013. The voucher was signed indicating receipt of the vehicles. However, there was no evidence that the vehicles had been received and taken into inventory. There was therefore a breach of Financial Regulation 71(1). In the circumstances these cheques should have been cancelled at the end of the financial year 30th September, 2013.

The following documents requested for audit purposes were not provided:

1.Vouchers for the months of January 2013 and September 2013 in respect to expenditure totalling $7,950,543.80;

2. Thirty-four vouchers totalling $5,814,577.66 from the sample selected for testing; schedules of accounts for five vouchers totalling $3,921,914.65, and

3.Cabinet approval for the execution of the project titled Infrastructure Upgrade of the Container Examination Station (CES) at Port of Spain.

The non-production of documents for audit not only breaches Financial Instruction 43 and Financial Regulation 8(l) but denies the Auditor General’s legal and constitutional right of access.



Ministry of Food Production



• A review of a sample of 15 payments totalling $251,781.51 for Materials and Supplies revealed that proper procurement procedures were not followed in that Bonded Contractors were not used where applicable, neither were 3 quotations obtained for ‘open market’ purchases.

• Inventory records show that 290 vehicles are owned by the Ministry; however Vehicle Registers necessary to record the existence, location and status of vehicles were not seen to exist either at the Head Office or at 3 of the 11 outstations sampled.

• Two amounts of $14,250 were seen to be paid to one supplier on two different invoices for the same service performed on the same date.

• A Register of Contracts as required by Financial Regulation 129 (1) was not produced. As a result, the completeness of information relating to contracts not yet completed at Note 2.l ii shown as $946,599.50 could not be verified.



Ministry of Health



• A review of a sample of 34 payments totalling $135,332,981.58 revealed that invoices were not committed in the Vote Book as required by Financial Regulations 66 and 67 to allow for prudent cash management.

• From the sample reviewed, one payment voucher for $1,290,167.14 was not provided for audit.

• Documents required to verify the validity of expenditure of $770,611 for optometry equipment were not produced for audit.

• During a physical verification exercise, it was noted that 21 items valued at $197,163.82 from a sample of 51 items purchased during the year did not bear marks of identification as Government property in accordance with Financial Regulation (Stores) 55.



Ministry of Transport



• Documents to support a payment of $13,000,000 shown as Contribution towards Deficit on Coastal Steamers were not produced.

• The Overpayment Register necessary to monitor recovery and to determine balances outstanding was not seen to be up to date at the time of audit.

• A formal contract for works valued at $5,651,390 was not provided for audit purposes.

• Payments totalling $211,499 for the Supply and Installation of Emergency Lights were incorrectly charged to this vote. In addition, supporting documents were not provided.



Ministry of

Foreign Affairs



The following documents were also not provided:

• Cabinet approval for amounts totalling $1,530,171.72 paid to three sports ambassadors and Schedules of Accounts for 3 of these payments totalling $557,049.12

• Daily Abstracts of Payments for the period July to September 2013

• Invoices to support 3 payments totalling $82,217.00 to an office supplies company

• Two contracts for security services for which payments of $2,212,712.02 were seen to be made up to August, 2013 to the relevant entities. 
As a result of the above observations, related expenditure was not verified.



“Non-production of documents for audit represents a serious breach both of the Auditor General’s constitutional and legal right of access to all documents relating to the Public Accounts and of financial and accountability requirements. Financial Instruction 43 states, “All vouchers, paid cheques and other relevant documents shall on request for audit examination be made available to the Auditor General or his nominee,” the report noted.

“The internal controls were weak in that there was no segregation of duties. One officer was responsible for all aspects of receipts, deposits, payments, purchasing, custody of inventory items and maintenance of accounting and inventory records. Further, evidence of proper oversight by the certifying officer was not seen,” it said.



Brussels Embassy



• Prior approval of the Treasury as required by Financial Regulation 20(2) for a non-permanent, non-pensionable officer to be an authorised signatory to the Mission’s bank account was not produced.

• Bank deposit slips requested for the month of September, 2013 were reported to have been shredded and as a result were not presented.

• Approval from the Minister of Finance was not seen for the variation of established procedures related to non-maintenance of certain records in the transition to online banking.

• Records to support payments such as receipts, debit advices, direct transfers and other transaction slips were not provided.



Ministry of the

Environment

and Water Resources



• Documents to support three payments totalling $266,569,000 being Refunds to Water and Sewerage Authority Re Water Improvement Rate were not produced contrary to Financial Regulation 8(l) and the Auditor General’s constitutional and legal right of access to all documents.

• From a sample of five vouchers selected, supporting documents were not seen for two items purchased under Minor Equipment while quotations were not seen for any of the items purchased. Physical verification of items could not be performed due to the absence of the storekeeper on the day of the audit visit.



Caroni Swamp

Management Project

• A commitment of $546,250 as shown on the Expenditure Statement for Development Programme was not seen to be recorded in the Vote Book. In addition, the Cabinet Minute and other project documents were not produced as requested.



Expenditure Control

• A review of a sample of 16 vouchers for Other Contracted Services revealed the under-mentioned issues.



Duplicate Payments

• Duplicate payments of $127,006.60 were seen to be paid to one contractor, the second payment being supported mainly by photocopied documents of the first. Evidence of Internal Audit certification was seen on the second voucher.



Unauthorised

Payments

• The approved spending limit of $50,000.00 was seen to be exceeded for ten payments totalling $6,874,159.21 (for amounts ranging from $261,898.79 to $970,538.18). Authorisation by the accounting officer was not seen.



Maintenance of

Expenditure Records

• Information was not seen to be properly recorded on Schedules of Accounts in accordance with Financial Instruction 27 in several instances. While these were subsequently corrected, it is important to note that proper and timely maintenance of accounting records is a key factor in expenditure control.



Ministry of Science

and Technology



• In contravention of the Auditor General’s right of access to documents on demand, critical records/documents such as project files, contracts, bills, quotations, completion certificates, progress reports or status reports were not produced for audit. As a result, the validity of payments made totalling $19,300,000 on nine projects, the status of completion of each and adherence to relevant terms and conditions could not be ascertained.

• The Schedule of Accounts relating to an adjustment of a cancelled cheque for $4,000,000 was also not presented.

• Payment vouchers were not seen to be supported by relevant documents such as contract agreements or invoices from contractors.

• Cheque numbers and dates were not disclosed on payment vouchers totalling $2,974,699.75 and the related Schedules of Accounts as required by financial directives.

Consequently the audit trail was adversely affected, the report stated.

[j.o.e]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Sto ... 98581.html

onnes of stolen aggregate have been used in the construction of the $7.5 billion Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin.
A special Sunday Express investigation has uncovered truck-loads of the aggregate (known as half-and-half material) excavated from an illegal quarrying site in the Matura Forest were delivered for use on the Debe-to-Mon Desir segment of the highway extension from October 2013 to February this year.
The highway is being constructed by Brazilian firm Construtora OAS.
The aggregate, the Sunday Express learned, was purchased at $200 per yard.
Checks at several other quarries indicated aggregate is usually sold per yard at a cost of $225 to $250.
Investigations sho­wed that on a daily basis, between 16 and 20 loads of the aggregate were delivered to the construction site in 20-tonne trucks.
Police said the illegal mining operations were being conducted mere metres behind a licenced quarry situated at Rio Grande Trace, Matura, between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.
The stolen aggregate, police said, is sold to various companies duri­ng the day.
Police said investigations revealed the aggregate was being excavated at the illegal quarrying site and a portion of the material is being stockpiled at the licenced quarry.
The perpetrators, police said, have illegally bulldozed and excavated approximately 400 acres comprising both State and private lands in search of aggregate.
The matter, the Sunday Express learned, was reported to the Ministry of Energy more than a year ago.
In-depth checks and research are currently being conducted by the relevant authorities to ascertain what percentage of the acreage is State and private lands, the Sunday Express learned.
Caribbean Minerals Agency (CMA) Ltd is the company officially contracted to supply aggregate for the highway.
The Sunday Express contacted co-owner of CMA Howard John on May 22 enquiring about where his company purchases aggregate for the highway construction.
John said: “We bought material from a businessman (name called) when we started to supply the half-and-half aggregate to OAS from October last year.
“Whenever we bought aggregate from that businessman, it went directly to OAS. He supplied (CMA) with the aggregate for about four months. We stopped taking aggregate from him around Carnival because we now produce the aggregate.”
Asked why CMA opted to purchase the aggregate from the particular businessman, John said: “A few years ago police seized equipment belonging to the businessman, but he has now joined with someone and claims he is purchasing the raw material and processing it. On the face of it, his processing operation is legitimate. On his plant he only processes gravel—no mining takes place there. Given the sheer volume of material... I am concerned about the amount of production that goes on in that remote area in terms of where he gets the raw material from, but the authorities have to find that out. As I said before, we have stopped buying from him.”
In 2012 police, acting on a tip-off, seized approximately $70 million in equipment at an illegal quarrying site in the Matura Forest.
However, to date the excavators along with a fleet of trucks remain unclaimed in Cumuto, as no one has come forward to claim them.

State loses out

Further investigations showed as the State has had no success in clamping down on illegal activities, the perpetrators have also escaped from paying millions of dollars in royalties.
Under the Minerals Act, a royalty rate of $4 is charged per cubic yard on all quarry resources extracted.
The royalty rate, the Sunday Express learned, is paid on a quarterly basis to the office of the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy.
In addition, the Sunday Express learned the perpetrators are also in violation of conducting mining operations outside of the stipulated time frame.
Under the act, quarry resources are to be excavated between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
The act further states quarry pits are not to be excavated to a depth greater than 30 feet (9.1 metres) within the licenced area, unless approval is granted by the director of minerals.
As part of this special investigation, the Sunday Express ventured into the Matura Forest on May 19 to get a firsthand look at the mining operations taking place, but was unable to make any headway as a man driving a 20-tonne truck began trailing the vehicle in which we were travelling and obstructed it, seeming almost to want to run it off the road.
On May 21, the Sunday Express returned to the area in a helicopter and was able to capture aerial footage that shows the devastation to the environment due to the illegal mining operations being conducted.
It was observed that business activity at the nearby licensed quarry was at a standstill, while at the illegal quarrying site several truckers were seen waiting for the stolen aggregate to be loaded into the trucks.
A navy blue Ford Ranger truck was also spotted parked at the front of the illegal quarrying site.
On May 22 when the Sunday Express returned to the area, the same blue Ford Ranger bearing the exact licence plate was parked outside the office at the licenced quarry site.
Residents in the area told the Sunday Express a businessman (name called) was the driver of the blue Ford Ranger and was responsible for the illegal mining operations being conducted.
The Sunday Express again ventured to the illegal quarrying site in search of the businessman. However, a man seated in a silver Toyota Hilux truck at the entrance of the site said the businessman “was not around”.
Asked if there was a telephone number to contact the businessman, the man in the silver Hilux replied: “Who is asking?”
Told the Sunday Express needed to speak with the businessman, the man in the silver Hilux then said: “Give me your number and I will call him.”
The businessman immediately contacted the Sunday Express and, when asked if he was responsible for illegal mining operations taking place in the Matura Forest, he replied: “I don’t know about any illegal operations. As far as I know, I purchase my raw material and sell. That is what I do.”
Asked where the raw material was purchased, the businessman said: “I have a guy who buys material from different people all over the place. I do not get directly involved. How people view it, I cannot speak for them. I have been in this business for about 15 years.”
Pressed further as to whether he was in possession of a quarry licence, the businessman asked:
“What are all these questions about? If there are reports that I am conducting illegal quarry operations, then let the police do their work. I don’t do mining—I process. I buy aggregate and process.”
As to whether he obtained the relevant licence or approval to process aggregate, the businessman said: “Nobody in T&T has a processing licence. I have filled out an application like everyone else and I am waiting. There is a procedure.”
Police “leaks”

As the Sunday Express probed deeper to find out why no attempt has been made to stop the illegal mining operations in spite of reports being lodged at the ministry, sources at the Ministry of National Security disclosed police raids have been aborted due to “leaks” from within.
In fact, it was learned a police exercise was planned on May 23 to shut down the illegal quarrying site after intelligence gathered confirmed the mining operations were taking place in the Matura Forest without authorised permission. However, due to a breach, the Sunday Express learned the exercise was unsuccessful, as the perpetrators vacated the site after receiving a tip-off.
Last Wednesday, police said the illegal quarrying site remains under surveillance as another exercise is being planned.
When contacted for comment on Thursday, National Security Minister Gary Griffith confirmed investigations into the matter were ongoing. Griffith, however, said he was unable to divulge any information relating to the matter due to its sensitivity.
“I cannot comment on ongoing investigations, especially a matter of such nature. The information is extremely sensitive,” he said.

Flashback

ILLEGAL quarry operators in the country are taking home up to $150,000 tax-free per day, Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine said last month, as he announced new measures that may become law in the fight against illegal mining.

The possible daily pay-off was contained in a report by an inter-agency commission appointed in 2013 to look into illegal mini­ng.

The committee was chaired by director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Energy Indira Ramkissoon, and was mandated to consider legislative changes aimed at alleviating illegal quarry activities.

Excerpts of the committee’s report were presented by Ramna­rine at a post-Cabinet briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair late last month.

Most of the illegal activities appear to be clustered in Northeast Trinidad, especially in the Valencia and Matura areas, it was said.


Questions Sent to minister

The following questions were sent to Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine via e-mail on May 29, seeking comment on the matter. Ramnarine, however, responded indicating the questions were forwarded to the permanent secretary, Selwyn Lashley, and a response will be forthcoming on June 2.
Below is the list of questions sent to Ramnarine, the line minister for quarrying activities in the country:
1. Was a quarry licence ever granted to a businessman (name called) for ope­rations in the Matura Forest? If yes, please explain.
2. Police have confirmed that the businessman is currently under surveillance for illegal mining operations in the Matura Forest. Is the Ministry of Energy aware of this?
3. Information obtained by the Sunday Express indicates that the Ministry of Energy was made aware of the illegal mining operations being conducted by the businessman two years ago. Please indicate what action was taken by the ministry to stop the illegal activity.
4. Information obtained by the Sunday Express revealed that a quarry licence was granted to two people in 2009 to conduct operations at Rio Grande Trace, Matura.
Investigations revealed that the businessman now operates from the same compound. Please indicate if a quarry licence is transferable and the procedure involved.
5. Police have confirmed that an exer­cise was planned on May 23 to shut down the illegal operations being conducted by businessman (name called) in the Matura Forest. However, due to a detected possible breach the exercise was aborted. Please say what action the Ministry of Energy intends to take to stop the illegal activity.
6. Investigations uncovered that the stolen aggregate retrieved from illegal mining operations in the Matura Forest is being used to build the highway to Point Fortin. Is the Ministry of Energy aware of this?

[eliteauto]

NIB buys $37m restaurants

The National Insurance Board (NIB) has spent $37 million to acquire the property housing Apsa­ra and Thamnak Thai res­taurants in Port of Spain and has promptly leased it back to the owners at $96,000 a month for ten years.

After five years, owners Sharif Mohammed and Marie Kavanagh have the option of repurchasing the property or leasing it again for ano­ther five years.

NIB is spending $5 million on repairs to the building.

Adrian Bharath, chairman of NIB, said yesterday the lease was broken into two rent periods.

“The lease is separated into two lease rent periods. For the first five years—$96,000 (plus taxes) monthly. At the end, there is an option to purchase or re-lease for a ten-year period. The second rent period— $125,000 monthly for the next five years, with the option to purchase at the end.”

A financial source yesterday likened the transaction, in substance, to a loan of $37 million at a fixed rate for ten years, punctuated by an option to purchase at the end of five years.

The Sunday Express understands the property was valued at $16.5 milli­on in January by a named com­­pany (on behalf of NIB). This compared unfavourably to a valuation by the property owners, which had it pegged at $29 million.

NIB paid $37 million, more than twice the amount the property was valued at, to R&M Property Hold­ings

(owned by Mohammed and Kavan-agh) for the property, exclusive of taxes, which amounted to about $3 million.

The sale was finalised in October and $3.7 million (ten per cent) was paid to WM Investments Ltd.

The final sum was paid to R&M Holdings in March.

The Sunday Express was told the investment had been originally pre­sented to the previous board but was rejected for a number of reasons, among them the fact that R&M Pro­­perty Holdings had no audited financials and the risk was considered too high compared to the return.

The Sunday Express understands the present board decided to take back up this investment and made a counter-proposal.

In August 2013, the decision was taken to purchase the property.

“No independent valuation was done...and this investment was not recommended by the mana­ger in charge of investments. They took eve­rything from R&M Holdings at face value. Also, part of that payment was a $5 million to be paid for repairs,” an informed source explained.

When the Sunday Express contac­ted NIB, it answered questions through public relations agency rep­re­sentative Roxanne Colthrust.

NIB confirmed it recently acqui­red Lot no 13 Queen’s Park East, Port of Spain, for $37 million “with a condition that prescribed enhance­ment and upgrade works be carried out at cost of $5 million”.

“This is considered prime property on one of the most valuable strips in the country. This move has been a stra­tegic one, to provide the company with a corporate head office and build valuable business investments,” it said.

NIB said it has been working over the last ten years to secure parcels of land at Queen’s Park East “which is part of a long-term plan to own valuable real estate”.

It said feasibility studies have been completed and are currently being “revisited and reviewed to determine what mix of commercial activities would afford the highest rate of return on these parcels”.

Asked why $5 million was being spent to repair a property, the NIB responded: “The property is not being repaired. The building is being enhanced and upgraded, in accor­dance with a scope of works which was determined by an indepen­dent quantity surveyor. The NIBTT’s desire is to ensure the pro­per­ty stays in a well-maintained condition, there­by maintaining the value.”

NIB said it considered several val­u­ations before acquiring this pro­perty and all necessary due diligence was conducted for the project.

“The NIBTT’s investment com­mittee, which has representation from Government, business and labour, presided over the review and decision-making process of this transaction as the acquisition cost was within their purview. The NIBTT confirms that this is a bonafide commercial transaction,” it said.

Questioned on how the acquisition of the restaurant property dovetails with NIB’s business, it clarified: “The NIBTT is interested in the property, not the restaurant. The property was acquired and leased back to the owners for a fixed period.”

The NIB said it has no plans to demolish the property.



Return on investment

NIB said: “Financial projec­tions have been conducted and the return on investment includes a capital appreciation of seven per cent per annum, as well as the annual lease rental is expected to provide a return of approximately nine per cent.

“The strategy of the NIBTT is to seek investment properties with a potential return of approximately nine per cent, including rental income and capital appreciation. This allows us to provide our customers with more assured, sustained benefits and payments,” it said.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/NIB ... 98531.html

[UML]

AG: Ex-UTT directors to face courts
By \\\\\ Ria Taitt Political Editor

Story Created: Jun 9, 2014 at 11:05 PM ECT

Story Updated: Jun 10, 2014 at 11:12 AM ECT

Former University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) directors yesterday lost their bid to scrap the $12 million lawsuit which was filed as a result of their decision to lease a $50,000-a-month residential resort complex in Aripo at which Juliana Pena was allowed to live.

Pena was spiritual adviser to former prime minister Patrick Manning.

“All the obstacles in the way of this trial progressing have been cleared,” Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said yesterday.

A court date has now been set for December 3 to 5, 2014. Ramlogan said it means that the former directors—Ken Julien, Dr Rene Monteil, Giselle Marfleet, Scott Hilton-Clarke, Ravindra Nath-Maharaj, Errol Pilgrim and Lincoln Warner—will be required to give evidence and submit themselves to cross-examination of a court of law. Their witness statements must be submitted by September 1.

The Court of Appeal, comprising Ivor Archie, Nolan Bereaux and Gregory Smith, yesterday heard a procedural appeal, arising out of the judgment of Vashiest Kokaram in the High Court on April 11, 2014. Kokaram had rejected a claim by the defendants that the lawsuit had no merit and should be struck out. The judge had stated that there was more than sufficient evidence for the claim to go forward. The former board members (with the exception of Ken Julien) had appealed this decision to the Court of Appeal, but lost.

Speaking at a news conference at his Port of Spain office yesterday, Ramlogan said the decision vindicated the Prime Minister’s position when she announced the initiation of probes in several state agencies.

“It also repels the argument and criticism of the PNM that these probes were some sort of witch-hunt and that there was no justification or basis in these matters being pursued in court,” he said, adding that he was the subject of vilification for pursuing these matters in court. He added that yesterday decision “again” represent “judicial endorsement” of the merit of the claim.

Ramlogan said accommodation was provided to Pena “and her companion” at the Aripo guesthouse. He noted however that this arrangement was not designed to keep political guests and friends, but rather visiting lecturers and members of staff of the University. He added that the basis of the lawsuit was also that the person who leased it (to the university) did not own the property and therefore had no authority to execute a lease, far less collect lease rent.

“It was like if one of you (decide to) lease me the Red House tomorrow morning,” Ramlogan said. The Attorney General said the matter was compounded when the university pumped $10 million to upgrade and renovate the property to bring it “up to the five-star and seven-star luxurious standard” befitting the occupants.

“There was a massive swimming pool and plush accommodation,” he noted. Ramlogan said these monies spent represented an “astonishing waste of taxpayers’ money “by the university in circumstances that were completely unjustified from a political perspective”.

Ramlogan said the State’s contention was that no due diligence was done and the former board signed a lease shutting their eyes to the obvious defects in the title (of the property). “They failed to terminate the lease or act prudently when it was brought to their attention. Because the legal department of UTT did advise that they terminate the sublease when it discovered the serious defects in title. That is at the core of the matter,” he said.

Ramlogan said the one issue that arose during the hearing of the appeal was whether the former Board members could have known that the legal department had advised against entering this lease.

He said the attempt to “plead ignorance” by the Directors failed, after the judges pointed out that the minutes of the Board meeting contained a reference to the legal report and the directors were present at the meeting.

The court awarded cost to the Government.

Lawyers for the State were Gerald Ramdeen, Varun Debideen and Vincent Nelson.

Government has also taken action in an effort to recover over $2 billion from former directors of state companies.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/AG- ... 67481.html

I trort Wendy Fitzwilliam was involved in this as well?!

ok my bad...so much PNM corruption I getting confused....she playing saint!!

AG SUES WENDY
Former Miss Universe added to e-TecK legal action

Story Created: Feb 2, 2013 at 9:46 PM ECT

Story Updated: Feb 7, 2013 at 11:02 AM ECT
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has initiated legal action against former Miss Universe Wendy Fitzwilliam.
Fitzwilliam, former vice president/general manager Business Development at Evolving Technologies and Enterprise Development Company Ltd (e TecK) has been joined as a defendant in a lawsuit filed against the company’s former board of directors by Ramlogan.
Also named as a defendant in the amended lawsuit is the company’s former manager, Business Development John Soo Ping Chow.
Fitzwilliam is being accused of failing to properly advise the directors on whether to enter into a $30 million investment in 2005 with China-based Bamboo Network Ltd (BNL).
Soo Ping Chow is being accused of failing in his accounting duties related to BNL, and failing to properly advise the company’s board on the prudence of the investment, given the alleged absence of audited accounts for BNL.
The amended lawsuit was filed January 17, which means the State is now going after eight former e TecK officials, including its chairman Prof Kenneth Julien and directors Ulric McNicol, Prof Brian Copeland, Dr Rene Monteil, Eugene Tiah and Sonia Noel.
Contacted by telephone last Thursday, Fitzwilliam said: “I think it’s before the courts now and has been for quite some time. I think the matter has been thrown out at the Appeal Court level. I’m not sure. I’m just getting on top of it. So it’s before the courts. I will have lots to say when this is done, but not now. It’s before the courts”.
The initial lawsuit was initiated by Ramlogan in June 2011 arising out of an investment in China-based BNL, in 2005, to develop e TecK’s information technology business venture as part of the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration’s diversification of the downstream industries.
The claim alleged that the six board members failed to ascertain whether the investment with BNL was prudent and in the interest of the company or the country and that BNL failed to perform any of its obligations under the agreement arrived at by the board led by Julien.
It is also being alleged that BNL failed to return the invested sum of US$5 million (TT$30 million) despite several requests by e TecK.
At a media conference at his Port of Spain office in 2011, Ramlogan said a forensic team which included investigator Bob Lindquist had uncovered what he alleged was a lack of “due diligence” by the board members, which led to a massive financial haemorrhage.
Ramlogan said the most “startling discovery” was the lack of proper legal or financial due diligence into the nature of the investment that the board agreed to.
“That money disappeared into a black hole,” Ramlogan alleged.
The forensic team uncovered that e TecK formed an alliance with BNL in 2004, which was a small nationally managed software company in Hong Kong.
Ramlogan said when the e TecK team visited Hong Kong, they discovered several companies bearing that same name.
Ramlogan said when they returned with that information, the Ministry of Finance “in the strongest possible terms” advised e TecK not to invest in BNL.
The Finance Ministry highlighted BNL’s short track record, poor financial state and lack of proper management structure as the main reason to end the investment proposal.
“Notwithstanding this advice from the Ministry of Finance, e TecK proceeded apace,” he claimed.
Ramlogan said e TecK felt BNL had a successful Japanese operation in a growing market and had strong financial backing from Tiger Management, an investment group.
“Contrary to what was stated there, the probe team found no evidence whatsoever to substantiate this. There is no evidence of any Japanese operation owned or operated by Bamboo, nor have we seen any document evidencing any due diligence to reveal same,” he said.
“We have not been able to locate any fund under the name Tiger Technologies, while Tiger Management was an investment fund of some considerable significance, it was wound up in 2000,” he said.
“When one connects the dots, there is a lot left to be desired,” he said.
In December 2012, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Julien and other members who comprised the board he led, in a procedural appeal filed in the lawsuit brought against them by Ramlogan.
As a consequence, the State was ordered to pay $55,000 in legal costs to Julien and former directors Monteil, Copeland, McNicol, Tiah and Noel.
The former board members, on March 2, 2012 had filed an application before Justice Devindra Rampersad seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed on the basis that it was filed out of time.
Rampersad, however, said it would be better to have the issue addressed during the substantive trial since it appeared the evidence provided by the former board members was insufficient to justify the matter being dismissed at that stage.
Attorneys for Julien and the others contended that Rampersad’s finding was wrong in law and that there was in fact unequivocal and unchallenged evidence on which the application was based.
Justice Nolan Bereaux, in a judgment delivered last December and endorsed by Justice of Appeal Humphrey Stollmeyer, said Rampersad was plainly wrong to have deferred consideration of the issue. Bereaux said the matter must be referred to Rampersad for him to consider it.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/AG- ... 31891.html

but wait nah...Ken Julien and Monteil name jump up here too!!!

[UML]

[bluespeed]

LOl........

[UML]

#plaintalk

[UML]

AG: Govt owed UK lawyer $5.7m
Published:
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Rhondor Dowlat


The bulk of the $7 million additional funds requested from Cabinet by the Attorney General was to pay outstanding legal fees owed to UK solicitor Charles Russell, LLP, for services dating as far back as 2003. This was disclosed yesterday by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan during a media briefing at his office at St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain. Ramlogan said the Ministry of the Attorney General sought additional funding in the sum of $7,254,838.



The sum owed, Ramlogan said, amounted to $5,689,616.81. He said $63,179.22 was the only sum incurred under his tenure. “Cabinet was advised that Charles Russell has made numerous requests to the Ministry of the Attorney General for payment of outstanding bills going back to the year 2003 amounting to $5,754,838,” he added. In relation to the costs associated with the three-member investigative team which examined the death of baby Simeon Cottle at the Mount Hope Women’s Hospital on March 1, Ramlogan said, a total of $835,299.48 was paid, well within the $1.5 million budgeted.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-06- ... lawyer-57m

hot air, ole talk, hype victims say I!!!

[eliteauto]

GANGA’S DIRT
Minister mum on whether top soil from WASA project being used to landscape his home...

Loads of dirt dug up from the site of the Caroni South Trunk Dualling Water Main Project have apparently been stockpiled in the backyard of the residence of Water Resources Minister Ganga Singh.

Singh has neither confirmed nor denied that the huge mound of dirt currently loaded in the backyard of his Home Farms, Las Lomas residence came from the site of the water project.

However, Singh has admitted that he paid contractor St Helena Enterprises $400 a load for 80 loads of dirt to landscape around his home.

Sunday Express investigations have revealed that St Helena Enterprises operates on the same compound as Sat Sais Co Ltd, one of the contractors of the $300 million Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) dualling pipe-laying project in St Helena.

The dirt mound at the back of Singh’s residence in Las Lomas is several feet high, towering over the back fence of the sprawling property.

When the Sunday Express visited the area last week, two tractors were seen levelling portions of the dirt at the back of the house.

The Sunday Express learned that dirt is usually sold between $400 to $500 and in some cases more (delivery included) per load.

A neighbour, who spoke to the Sunday Express under anonymity, said: “Truckloads of the dirt were dropped off very early in the morning. The property has a big space to the back. To get it level he (Singh) needs to back fill for support. He fixing up his house nice.”

Investigations revealed that over the last three months, several contractors, among them Sat Sais Company Ltd, have been contracted for various aspects of the work on the WASA project.

The project, which entails the installation of 40 kilometres of mains, is expected to boost the supply of water to an estimated 275,000 residents of south and central Trinidad.

The Sunday Express learned that the groundworks on the project commenced with the clearing and excavation of several acres of land in preparation for the laying of the pipe.

Ministry officials said the dirt excavated from state projects is usually dumped at the Beetham Landfill and other sites to assist with fire prevention.

When the Sunday Express visited the water project site last week, enquiring where the dirt was being dumped, a worker, who spoke under strict anonymity, said: “Most of the dirt was dropped off at a house. I cannot say where because I don’t want to lose my job. I have nothing more to say.”


Singh visits St Helena Enterprises

Around noon last Friday, the Sunday Express visited Singh at his Tower D office at the International Waterfront Centre in Port of Spain in an attempt to get a face-to-face interview on whether the dirt on his property came from the WASA project site.

Singh’s secretary Pamela Marajh, however, told the Sunday Express that the Minister had meetings scheduled for the entire day and could not be interviewed.

Marajh said Singh asked that the Sunday Express forward all questions via e-mail for a response.

Singh responded by text to some of the questions shortly after, in which he disclosed that the dirt had been purchased from St Helena Enterprises.

The Sunday Express decided to visit the company in St Helena to verify the purchase and to find out the source . When we arrived there, Singh was on the premises.

The Sunday Express attempted to get an interview with the owner of St Helena Enterprises, but was refused.

Singh, workers said, had arrived at the business place moments before the Sunday Express.

Enquiring whether the Sunday Express was at the right location, a man, who identified himself only as Roy, said: “Yes, St Helena Enterprises and Sat Sais are all on the same compound.”

A truck belonging to Sat Sais Company Ltd was parked at the entrance leading to St Helena Enterprises.

Asked if it was possible to speak to the owner of St Helena Enterprises, Roy said: “Park your van and follow me. You will have to wait because the Minister just arrived. Minister Ganga Singh came just before you. He did not come with his car. He came with a driver in that black car (pointing to a black Kia Optima that was parked at the entrance of St Helena Enterprises).”

Roy then told the receptionist to inform someone identified as Sunil Persad that the Sunday Express wanted to meet with him.

“The Express is here. She came to meet with Minister Ganga Singh and Mr Persad, so let them know she is here,” Roy said.

However, the receptionist returned and said: “Mr Persad said he had no appointment to meet with anyone from the Express and will be unable to see you.”

Before leaving the compound, the Sunday Express spoke to Singh’s driver, who was parked in the heavily-tinted car, licence PCU 6841, asking him to convey greetings to the Minister.

The driver replied: “Okay, I will when he comes.”

The Sunday Express left the premises of St Helena Enterprises around 4.25 p.m.

Singh contacted this reporter again at around 6.19 p.m. and communicated via the following text exchange:

Singh: Hi. Heard you were in my community.

Sunday Express: Hi.

Singh: Next time you must allow me to extend rural courtesies.

Sunday Express: I saw you go upstairs of St Helena Enterprises. My van was behind your car.

Singh: I was enjoying the (World Cup) game close by. You must be joking. I was at hrock (Hard Rock) on St Helena Main Road.

Sunday Express: Spoke with your driver, told him to tell you hi. At least he conveyed. When you are ready to talk call me. By the way please tell Sunil Persad that his handyman Roy is a very polite person. He extended all courtesies to me while you were upstairs.

Singh: You should quote him.

Sunday Express: As always I do. When you are ready to talk call me.

Singh: About?

Questions for Singh

The following questions were sent to Singh via text message and e-mail.
His responses follow:
As discussed, the Sunday Express is seeking a response to the following questions for an article to be published on July 6, 2014.
1) Investigations and photographs obtained by the Sunday Express reveal that dirt from the Caroni South Trunk Main Dualling Project was dropped off at your home at Home Farms, Las Lomas. Please explain.
2) Please explain if the dirt was waste to be dumped after being excavated from the Caroni South Trunk Main Dualling Project.
3) Please explain if you paid for the dirt? If yes, at what cost per yard.
4) What usually happens to dirt from any government worksite?
5) Is it normal for such material to be sourced for private use by ministers or members of the public?

Minister Singh did not respond to all the questions sent by the Sunday Express.
He sent the following text message:
“St Helena Enterprises was contracted to provide top soil for the landscaping. Perhaps you should direct questions as to the source to them.”
Another text message sent from Singh read: “The top soil was 400 dollars per truckload. St Helena Enterprises was contracted to provide top soil for landscaping; not backfill. I don’t know the DNA of the top soil. Top soil ordered in mid-January. Initially 40 loads and subsequently another 40 loads.”


Flashback to Landate

On October 14, 2004, Ganga Singh, who was then Opposition Chief Whip under the Basdeo Panday administration, had accused Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley of removing materials from the Scarborough Regional Hospital in Signal Hill and using them on a private housing development project in Mason Hall.
In two separate matters, Rowley was awarded damages relating to the issue.
The Integrity Commision in 2010 was ordered to pay Rowley $900,000 in legal costs in connection with its mishandling of the Landate probe.
Justice Maureen Rajnauth-Lee ruled that the commission was wrong to refer a report into the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions without allowing Rowley an opportunity to respond to the complaint.
In February 2014, Rowley was also awarded $.5 million in damages after he successfully challenged allegations made against him by former independent senator Michael Annisette in 2009 in relation to the Landate Project and the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (UDeCOTT).
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has said the Landate matter is still open.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Whe ... 20321.html

[eliteauto]

$200,000 a month to cut grass
LifeSport revealed:

LifeSport paid companies $200,000 a month to cut grass in the recreation grounds where the programme was held.

Friends of Ministry of Sport officials, soldiers and a journalist were beneficiaries of those LifeSport contracts.

The Ministry of Sport submitted documents to the Ministry of Finance requesting the $200,000 a month “for (3 sports/fields) x 33 venues for 24 months”.

The funding, with 33 centres, would work out to a cost of $6.6 million a month.

It would have cost taxpayers $79.2 million in 2013.

Documents obtained from the Ministry of Sport show that nine companies were contracted to maintain 26 recreation grounds.

Of the nine companies, two companies with a common incorporator—James Dedier—maintain eight recreation grounds.

Those two companies are S.O.S West Indies Limited and Reno Energy Company Limited.

Reno Energy Company Limited, based in Edinburgh 500 in Chaguanas, has the contracts to maintain Carapo Recreation Ground, Morvant Recreation Ground, Point Fortin Recreation Ground and Samaroo Recreation Ground.

S.O.S West Indies Limited, which is based at the same address, has the contract to maintain Mt Dor Recreation Ground, La Horquetta Recreation Ground, Maraval Recreation Ground and Moruga Recreation Ground.

Contacted yesterday on the contracts, Jolene Legere, director at Reno Energy, said: “You have said who you are. I do not know who you are so I can’t speak to you.”

Roamfort Enterprises, based in Balmain, Couva, is owned by a soldier, Andy Berahazar, with another soldier, Anthony Superville, as a director.

Roamfort was contracted to maintain four grounds—Maloney Recreation Ground, Enterprise Recreation Ground, Carenage Recreation Ground and La Romaine Recreation Ground.

Walter Alibey, a sports reporter at Newsday newspaper, through his company Agro Aggressive Organisation and Maintenance Services Limited, also received a contract from the LifeSport programme.

Alibey was the reporter on the stories about the death threat on the life of Ruth Marchan, deputy director of Physical Education and Sport at the Ministry of Sport, and the corruption she exposed about how $34 million was paid from LifeSport funds for Math and English lessons to a well-known educator, but no work was done.

Contacted yesterday, Alibey said he started the company since 2011 and has worked for different organisations.

“They called me for the contract and I went for it,” he said.

Questioned on whether it was not a conflict of interest then for his reporting on Marchan’s death threat, he replied: “I didn’t know all this was going to happen. I didn’t foresee all this was happening.”

He said he had a friendship with Marchan for more than 20 years.

The Sunday Express was unable to find one of the nine companies which had a contract for four of the recreation grounds.

The matter is being reviewed by the Central Audit Committee of the Ministry of Finance.

The Sunday Express understands that despite the exorbitant sum paid to companies by LifeSport to maintain the grounds, they were actually being maintained by the regional corporations of the respective areas.

National Security Minister Gary Griffith yesterday said the contracts were the key to unravelling how millions of taxpayers dollars were spent.

“Giving one person tens of thousands of dollars in a brown paper bag with claims of handing it over to invisible participants because they have no bank account has to be a sick joke. If that is not a sign of financial mismanagement, questionable activity and incompetence, then I don’t know what is,” said Griffith.

“Jump high, jump low, no desperate PR spin with advisors to ministers openly making adverse statements about me, or paying people to assemble in front of Parliament, or senior officials of the Programme getting a handful of people together to state that there are no ghosts when it is supposed to be over 1,800, but then claim that their life is at risk because of the same Programme that they claimed was so pure, would deter me from cleaning up the Programme.

“Read my lips—there would be no room for ghosts, financial mismanagement, or persons of interest in LifeSport,” he added.

“I would ensure that no gang leader has access to State funding. I also do not believe in the practice of paying people not to commit crime. If you sleep with the Devil, there is a price to pay, and I have no intention for our citizens to pay that price. This is not a witchhunt. But I am not going to have any criminal acquire State resources and funding to fuel crime.

“Next stop is URP (Unemployment Relief Programme). If they don’t change their ways and want to continue killing youths to fight for contracts, they would lose it. They can’t have their cake and eat it.”

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Gri ... 20021.html

[eliteauto]

Memo for $77 million

In a memo dated June 12, 2013, the permanent secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Finance wrote to Ministry of Sport PS Ashwin Creed about his request for $77,233,050 to pay off invoices for the mobilisation fee, catering/meals and coordinating services.

The PS in the Ministry of Finance observed that only $971,181 would be paid from its account at First Citizens because there were irregularities with regard to the invoices.

It was noted that:

“1. Differences with respect to the format and layout of invoices tendered by the same contractor which are dated one day apart;

2. Material differences with respect to the quoted amounts and the information on the amended invoices; and

3. Invoices were not certified by the Permanent Secretary.

“Given the above observations, it obviously appears that new invoices were generated for the LifeSport Programme February expenses, when our intent was that you would certify the originals which were returned to you,” the memo stated.

“In addition, with respect to the letters of engagement between each coordinator and the Ministry of Sport, we have observed that a Mr Hugh Grant executed the contracts for the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sport for and on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry of Finance and the Economy wishes to remind you that the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sport is the Ministry’s Accounting Officer and is the appropriate officer for executing such documents,” it said.

“Furthermore, it should be noted that whilst we are unable to approve the payment to coordinators until the contracts are executed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sport, we have observed that there are inconsistencies in the certification of the coordinators’ invoices.

“The Ministry of Finance and the Economy is very concerned about the inconsistencies in invoices submitted for payment, most notably in respect of the fact that new invoices are being generated in lieu of our request for the original invoices to be appropriately certified,” it said.

Creed is out of the country until July 31.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Mem ... 20181.html

[eliteauto]

Jack: $2b SIS contracts

Since the People’s Partnership Government has been in power, Super Industrial Services (SIS) has received $2 billion in contracts, says Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner.

Warner was speaking at the Parliament sitting yesterday during the debate of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Bill, 2014.

Warner questioned why it took four years to bring procurement legislation to the Parliament, adding that it cannot undo the millions of contracts awarded to SIS.

He said in 2010, SIS was bankrupt and in four years, the company and its 52 subsidiaries received $2 billion in contracts from Government which included millions for landscaping jobs.

Warner said the Government, with one foot out of the door, comes ten months before a general election with procurement legislation that cannot return these millions.

He said at the end of the day the people of this country are not fooled.

Warner said invoices valued at over $2 million were also given to SIS for works in the sister isle.

He said he had planned to go to the Integrity Commission with the information and documents he had but “it makes no sense”.

Warner said he also has documents to show that although contracts were awarded by the Tenders Board, the minister took action to void them and give the contracts to someone else in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure

“At the end of the day we came here to make this country better, the people were against the PNM (People’s National Movement, they were against Calder Hart, we came here to correct that, not to create other Calder Harts,” said Warner.

He said the procurement legislation would not solve these problems.

Warner said further that he has major concerns with the procurement legislation and noted Government has indicated it will not be accepting any amendments because the bill went though a Joint Select Committee (JSC) and the Legislation Review Committee (LRC).

Warner said he stayed up all night reviewing the bill and had over two dozen amendments and was offended his work will go in vain.





contracts AWARDED:

Warner listed a number of these contracts which include:

*$1.2 billion waste water treatment plant from WASA

*$1.6 million for 59 hydrological stations from WASA

*$12 million for the tender for the design of the national development centre from The Community Improvement Services Ltd (CISL)

*$3.5 million for waste water services at the Sangre Grande Hospital

*$202 million for works on the motor vehicle

authority from NIPDEC

*$130 million for upgrade work to the Penal

recreation ground

*$25 million from the National Gas Company (NGC) for landscaping work to the Couva/Preysal

interchange.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Jac ... 65701.html

[RASC]

Before 2010 was SIS an entity on the local scene?

[zoom rader]

Before 2010 was SIS an entity on the local scene?

Yes they been around since the early 1980s servicing Pt lisas industries in projects and supplying labour.

[UML]

Just like J.Sammy they finance both parties. They were a preferred contractor of the pnm as well.

Actually they are known for being a pnm contractor!

[mrtrini45]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Gov ... 31131.html




Govt paying $37m rent for empty building
By Ria Taitt Political Editor

Story Created: Feb 14, 2014 at 10:22 PM ECT

Story Updated: Feb 14, 2014 at 10:23 PM ECT
Government has been paying tens of millions—somewhere between over $28 million to $37 million—for an unoccupied building.
Since 2010, Government has been paying the hefty sum of $8.2 million annually for renting a building located at 1 Alexandra Street, which it has never occupied. In addition to this, Government has been paying $927,360 per year for security.
Local Government Minister Marlene Coudray in the House of Representatives yesterday stated Government pays a monthly rent of $690,000, which adds up to $8.2 million a year for the building. This has been paid since October 2010.
“This sum was paid for the financial years ended September 2011, September 2012 and September 2013,” she said.
The minister stressed the rental started on this building in 2009. If one includes rental payment and security for the year 2009, it means the taxpayer has paid around $37 million in total.
The rent has been paid to NJ Nahous while the security fees have been paid to Professional Protection Training Services, Coudray said.
Coudray was responding to the question filed by Arouca/Maloney MP Alicia Hospedales which asked her to state whether any buildings were being rented by the Ministry of Local Government which were not being utilised and the money paid in relation to such building since 2010 to the present.
Coudray gave figures which she said were from October 2010 but she pointed out that the rental “started on this building in the year 2009”.
Asked by Hospedales why the facility has not been utilised for the last four years, Coudray said: “Mr Speaker, this question is a new one and I would need to check the records to determine.”
The building was originally earmarked for the Ministry of Local Government at the time when Hazel Manning was the minister. The rental contract was signed under the People’s National Movement government which lost the 2010 election shortly afterward.
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley yesterday described the issue as “ a big scandal”, saying the key issue was why has the Government left this building empty for four years.
“So because the PNM rented the building, whether they liked the rate or not, they refused to occupy the building and has been paying for an empty building,” he said.
Rowley said the issue which this Government had was not the building, but the outfitting of it. The tenant has to outfit the building to suit itself, he said.
Rowley claimed Government wanted to give the contract to outfit the building to a preferred bidder. “And when the public servants would not agree to it, they refused to outfit the building,” Rowley said.
“So here it is, a building that the Government is renting at a humongous price is left under-utilised because the outfitting did not go to a favoured person and they decide to leave it unoccupied,” the Opposition Leader said.
“The building is being paid for and is lying empty, collecting spiders and all because they could not award the contract to their selected contractor,” he claimed.
Former minister, Jack Warner, during a debate had said Nidco in 2009 had wanted to move into the building and had paid a 10 per cent downpayment in March 2009 of $334,000 to Faris Al-Rawi (in his capacity as a attorney for the owner). However, the money was returned because the Ministry of Local Government was to be allotted the building, Warner said.

[brams112]

Before 2010 was SIS an entity on the local scene?

Yes they been around since the early 1980s servicing Pt lisas industries in projects and supplying labour.

These guys head stick up in bamcee,so they will not know these details,all they know is what their leaders tell them,plus blind support fools all the fools.

[civicman]

SIS is a well known name in the energy industry years now.
Just like when stupid ian was saying "some nothing company name
Tosl getting contract now in petrotrin".
Its better to do some reading befor looking like an @$$

[j.o.e]

RASC was asking a question eh.....no need to attack the man. Not everyone is involved in energy/construction to know, that's why he asked. They have been around a while...doesn't change the fact they have a suspiciously high number of contracts...but ain't my business right PP defenders? *sips beer*

[Rory Phoulorie]

Just like J.Sammy they finance both parties. They were a preferred contractor of the pnm as well.

Actually they are known for being a pnm contractor!

Not really. They are known for being a major financier of the UNC. Didn't they recently win a court case for some money that they "lent" to Jack Warner?

There are some low profile German expatriates who are involved in SIS and are major players in the local ammonia and methanol industry.