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UML wrote:PNM even corrupt WE NATIONAL instrument!!G-PAN SCANDAL
AG accuses Prof Copeland of selling steelpan for own gain
By Ria Taitt Political Editor
Story Created: Jul 9, 2011 at 1:02 AM ECT
Story Updated: Jul 9, 2011 at 1:02 AM ECT
A scandal of "major proportions" has broken out over this country's treasured steelpan—specifically, this country's latest inventions, the Genesis (G) pan and Percussive Harmonic Instrument (PHI) pan.
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan announced yesterday that Government is taking legal action against Prof Brian Copeland, chairman of the Steelpan Initiative Committee (SIC) and Steelpan Initiative project (SIP), and three associates for registering the PHI pan as their own, for selling the G-pan and for "virtually hijacking these inventions ...for their private commercial gain", in breach of the law. Copeland, a Dean of Engineering at the University of the West Indies (UWI), won the nation's highest award in 2008 for his contribution to steelpan development.
Ramlogan stated at a news conference at his Port of Spain office yesterday: "The enquiries and the advice (I received) have identified what appears to be a considerable prima facie case and evidence of breach of trust by Prof Brian Copeland and, I daresay, borders on outright fraud on the people of this country. The enquiries reveal that as chairman of the committee set up to safeguard the intellectual property rights in the steelpan and, particularly, in the G-pan and any new inventions and innovations that arise out of that, instead of protecting those rights, Prof Copeland has himself, I am advised, sought to take away those rights by claiming personal ownership and seeking to personally benefit from these instruments, including profits of the PHI pan, which was invented using Government's money".
"The enquires also reveal that in breach of his position of trust, he has registered himself, Marcel Byron, Phillip Earl and Keith Maynard as the owners of the property rights in the PHI pan," he said.
Ramlogan said he was startled at the level of breach of trust. Copeland was the chairman of this committee, directly tasked with the development of such steelpans. The committee was expressly mandated to secure the intellectual property rights for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Copeland himself emphasised this objective at a meeting held on November 3, 2005 at UWI. He said the project was funded by the people of this country to the tune of $34.5 million.
"How can a chairman, appointed with terms of reference to safeguard the interest of the people of this country and to act in good faith, so blatantly ignore his terms of reference and claim ownership rights when those rights he was intended ...to protect and preserve for the people of Trinidad and Tobago?"
Ramlogan said the "blatant disregard for this fiduciary responsibility and trust" took place earlier when Copeland registered the Genesis (G) pan as his own. However, he subsequently had to assign it to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
"However...he subsequently marketed the G-pan without the permission of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago...to profit from it...and furthermore, has not accounted for the proceeds of such sale which, in my view, were illegally conducted," Ramlogan stated.
He added that money belongs to the Government and people of this country and, therefore, action is coming for the recovery of those funds.
Ramlogan said he was advised Government has a right to pursue, under Section 59 and 60 of the Patents Act, actions for the revocation of patents granted to Copeland and his associates for the PHI pan and to take such action as is necessary to secure the interest of this country for the recovery of the intellectual property rights and ownership of the PHI pan and for any income that may have been lost to the people of Trinidad and Tobago by their (Copeland and others) "illegal" act.
"As to why the previous administration, given the publicly known relationship between Patrick Manning and Prof Brian Copeland, did not attempt to stop this, whereby the steelpan and the initiatives and innovations, funded by the people of this country for the benefit of this country; why they didn't put a stop to the intellectual property rights being frittered away and being commercialised and exploited by Copeland and his associates remains a mystery that perhaps only those in the former administration can answer," Ramlogan stated. "I am amazed that this has been going on for years," he added.
Ramlogan said in an April 2006 draft agreement to the permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, Sandra Marchack, submitted by Copeland, he acknowledged the Government had "reserved onto itself for its exclusive use and benefit in the (SIC) project, and all research and concept, design, improvement and development and further inventions, whether patentable or not, in connection with this project".
"So he well knew and fully understand that the Government's intention...was that it would claim intellectual property rights in the G-pan and further inventions," Ramlogan noted.
The SIC and SIP were mandated to develop steelpan and technology and protect these property rights for the Government and people of this country, the Attorney General noted.
He said the minutes of a meeting held on October 26, 2005 between the then prime minister, Patrick Manning, and members of the SIC, of which, among others, Prof Brian Copeland was a member, at Whitehall, Port of Spain, which dealt with the invention of the Percussive Harmonic Instrument, spoke about the "award of a patent in the name of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for the development of the steelpan described and for all intellectual property rights arising from the development and research activities leading to the creation of the new instrument". "That was the clearly expressed intention at the time that the SIC was set up," he said.
The probe team which uncovered this "scandalous state of affairs" was led by Vincent Nelson, QC.
Attempts to reach Copeland for a comment yesterday proved futile.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/G-P ... 55699.html
Alarm over San Fernando Hill quarrying- Mayor launches probe
Published:
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Reshma Ragoonath
San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein has launched an investigation into quarrying at the base of San Fernando Hill. He is also looking into links between that activity and huge mounds of gravel which are being stockpiled in Marabella.
Hosein said he has ordered the San Fernando city engineer to investigate both activities which are connected to construction of a three-storey commercial building at the back of Stackhouse Limited at the corner of Circular and Pointe-a-Pierre Roads. He said he expects the city engineer to present his findings on Tuesday at a meeting of the San Fernando City Corporation.
“This is worrying to me. Things must be done in accordance with the law. People must have respect for the law,” Hosein told the Sunday Guardian. He said the council will make a decision on their next course of action at Tuesday’s meeting. The mayor said he was concerned about the stockpiling of the material in Marabella, since it posed a safety risk to motorists and was a dust nuisance for nearby residents.
“In the heart of Marabella you are seeing this tall mountain and you have people worshiping right there (at a nearby crusade),” Hosein said. The stockpiles of gravel, almost as tall as a two storey building, are located at the corner of the Southern Main Road and San Fernando By-pass.
Yesterday when the Sunday Guardian visited no work was taking place at either location. A backhoe, which was being used for quarrying at Circular Road was loaded onto a truck yesterday and removed from the site. At Marabella a mini-excavator was parked near the mounds of gravel but no workers were in sight.
The Mayor ordered a halt to the quarrying operations on Thursday. Officials from the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs, together with armed police officers, visited the site after San Fernando West MP Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan expressed concern about the quarrying and noise. Hosein said preliminary investigations revealed that the land owner was granted Town and Country approval in 2008 for construction of a building but there had been violations of the conditions of the stipulated notice.
He said the material removed from the site should have been stockpiled on the parcel of land at Williamsville “so that no nuisance is created to the adjoining properties or any user of any nearby roads”. “Stockpiling of the material is confirmed to be taking place in Marabella in the residential area, which raises environmental and health issues,” he said.
On Friday, the Ministry of Energy issued a release stating that “no licence for mining has been granted to anyone or any entity for quarrying at this site or in the vicinity of the San Fernando Hill”. The ministry said it is monitoring the situation. Yesterday Seepersad-Bachan told the Sunday Guardian she was also monitoring the situation. She said she was unhappy about the quarrying taking place at the base of the San Fernando Hill since it is a protected landmark and heritage site.
She said the quarrying raises a number of questions, including whether the material was being removed for the purpose of sale, which would be a breach of the law and whether a certificate of environmental clearance (CEC) was applied for and approved by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA).
San Fernando Business Association president Daphne Bartlett also expressed concern about the quarrying of the hill and the stockpiling of material in Marabella. She said she has been receiving complaints from her members about the noise, dust and the safety risks from the stockpiling of the gravel. Bartlett said if the material is illegal the San Fernando City Corporation should seize it and use it to backfill the San Fernando waterfront.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-04- ... ches-probe
rfari wrote:Hosein said preliminary investigations revealed that the land owner was granted Town and Country approval in 2008 for construction of a building but there had been violations of the conditions of the stipulated notice.
De Dragon wrote:rfari wrote:Hosein said preliminary investigations revealed that the land owner was granted Town and Country approval in 2008 for construction of a building but there had been violations of the conditions of the stipulated notice.
All that means is that successive Governments and their agencies failed to adequately monitor this quarrying.
Roodal: Rowley must clear air
In Parliament
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Apr 25, 2014 at 9:35 PM ECT
Story Updated: Apr 25, 2014 at 10:38 PM ECT
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley should clear the air on whether he has a private interest in the cancelling of the contract for the billion-dollar Beetham waste water treatment plant, says Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal.
Moonilal raised the question yesterday at the Parliament sitting during his contribution to Rowley’s private motion, which calls on the Prime Minister to stop the award of the contract to Super Industrial Services (SIS) and review the process.
Moonilal questioned whether Rowley brought the motion in the public interest or because of personal reasons.
He noted that Rowley himself had admitted that under the previous United National Congress (UNC) administration he visited former minister Ganga Singh in a private technical capacity as he had accompanied a group of investors to the meeting who were interested in the waste water treatment project.
Said Moonilal: “He (Rowley) has admitted before that when this matter came up under a former UNC administration, he accompanied a group of investors to go to his favourite minister, Ganga Singh, to make representation and I imagine he was there in a technical capacity, concerning securing this deal with his clients.
“The member must indicate to the population whether in 2013 he also represented any other company that was involved and if he did then he found himself conflicted in coming to the Parliament because he did not come with clean hands, he had other interests.”
Moonilal said it was clear that Rowley has studied the project and has “friends” and business partners who would want to get involved in it.
“When he went to Ganga Singh, it wasn’t a bad project then and today we would like to ask the Opposition Leader to clear the air on whether he has any special interest in this matter and whether in filing this motion it is being done in a genuine and sincere manner to discuss these issues in the public interest.”
Moonilal said if the Prime Minister cancels this project it would mean that companies will have the opportunity to submit their bids once again.
“It could well be that one of those companies may have as their own consultant, the leader of the Opposition,” said Moonilal.
Opposition chief whip Marlene McDonald immediately stood, saying that Moonilal was imputing improper motives on Rowley.
However, House Speaker Wade Mark said he was not.
“If this motion succeeds, the natural effect of that would be to return to a competitive bidding process in which other companies would have a second bite of the cherry,” Moonilal continued.
Moonilal also took a jab at Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi, who is at the centre of controversy over how he acquired a report into the alleged New Flying Squad Investigative Unit.
Both the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) have denied leaking the report.
“If you have something in your possession, two institutions say they did not leak it and you have it, well it is stolen property,” said Moonilal.
“Or it is a fraudulent document,” interjected Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
“I don’t know if he (Al-Rawi), if he feel growing a beard he might go somewhere and get something else not being recognised,” said Moonilal.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Roo ... 86241.html
kurpal_v2 wrote:De Dragon wrote:rfari wrote:Hosein said preliminary investigations revealed that the land owner was granted Town and Country approval in 2008 for construction of a building but there had been violations of the conditions of the stipulated notice.
All that means is that successive Governments and their agencies failed to adequately monitor this quarrying.
Actually wasn't quarrying, the media (bachan brother) spinned this into a quarrying issue when it was initially a noise violation.
Many details have been left out to make it look like Truman is at fault when really it's a game of "PNM give yuh approval? Patos ear in power again dan, my pocket empty"
They are using this to gain political points, the material stock piled is being used by gopaul to pave roads under contracts the PP awarded in trade for equipment and labour.
No encroachment has taken place on sando hill, they literally broke down a structure and are digging a hole.
At the moment the worksite is on hold till after the sando town meeting so they will not have to defend their coming action past what they can spew in the media. I post no hear say.
$3B LOSS
By CLINT CHAN TACK Saturday, April 26 2014
ATTORNEY General Anand Ramlogan yesterday disclosed that Government will be hard pressed to recover some US$400 million (TT$3 billion) of taxpayers’ money lost in the controversial Petrotrin World Gas to Liquids (WGTL) project under the former People’s National Movement (PNM) government.
Ramlogan made this disclosure in the House of Representatives even as he announced that the State oil company was victorious in arbitration proceedings against WGTL at the International Court of Arbitration in London on April 24.
Notwithstanding this victory, Ramlogan told the House, “The irony of the situation is that while we won, we must go in search to see if we can recoup any of our monies.”
Stating the ability to recover one red cent of the $3 billion wasted to build the non-operational GTL plant at Pointe-a-Pierre from WGTL is questionable, the AG announced, “I will conduct an international means and assets search on WGTL and WGTL St Lucia to try and see if we can recover any money.”
Questioning where did WGTL get its financial backing from for the controversial project and who were its financial backers, Ramlogan said, “Today I call on Malcolm Jones (former Petrotrin executive chairman) to tell us where are we going to find the monies to recoup the investment on behalf of the people of this country.”
“I will also investigate this matter to see if there was any collusion in this matter with regard to what transpired. Whether the contractual terms and conditions were ignored to the detriment of Petrotrin and the people of TT,” he stated. Government MPs thumped their desks as Ramlogan quipped, “This is a most serious matter. The chickens are coming home to roost.”
Reminding MPs that legal action has been taken against Jones for breach of fiduciary duty, Ramlogan said action will continue in the High Court. “This victory now has cleared the way for us to proceed full speed ahead,” he declared
Stating that had elementary due diligence been on the part of the then Jones-led board of Petrotrin, Ramlogan said, “WGTL’s lack of funds and lack of licence for the catalyst would have been discovered.” He added that if this was done, “this country would not find itself facing this embarrassing situation.”
Recalling the history of the project, Ramlogan said Petrotrin entered into an agreement with WGTL to jointly develop the GTL project at Pointe-a-Pierre. He said the project was initially funded by a US$125 million project loan from Credit Suisse, cash equity contributions of US$10 million from Petrotrin and issuance of US$30 million non-voting preference shares.
Stating it was agreed that all cost overruns to be borne by Petrotrin and WGTL in proportion to their respective equity interests of 49 percent and 51 percent respectively in WGTL Trinidad Limited, Ramlogan disclosed that Petrotrin has funded all cost overruns on the project totalling US$190.4 million. “In the end, the actual construction cost to date of this unfinished plant is US$400 million compared with an initial project cost in 2007 of US$160 million,” the AG said.
“Oh God, PNM!” cried Sports Minister Anil Roberts. Stating that he “went back into the books” of Petrotrin to see where this money was coming from, Ramlogan said during the financial years ended 2009 to 2010, a total of $2.7 billion was reported as “impairment losses” by Petrotrin. “This write-off effectively converted profits in those years to losses,” the AG stated.
He indicated that while Petrotrin and WGTL entered into a guarantee contribution agreement (GCA) which set out the respective obligations of Petrotrin and WGTL, “Petrotrin agreed with Credit Suisse to pay off WGTL’s share of the guarantee loss in the event it defaulted.” Government MPs expressed shock as Ramlogan explained this meant that Petrotrin would be liable and responsible for WGTL’s debt.
Stating the project was mismanaged and did not proceed according to plan, Ramlogan said there were a total of 33 cost overruns. He said in each case, WGTL was unable to fund its portion of those overruns. Explaining this meant Petrotrin had to step in and use taxpayers’ money to pay WGTL’s share of monies due, Ramlogan said, “In total, Petrotrin paid the sum of over $600 million (US$97,107,993) on behalf of WGTL in addition to contributions on its behalf of over $580 million.”
Describing WGTL’s decision to initiate arbitration proceedings against Petrotrin in December 2011, Ramlogan said those proceedings took place in Toronto and in London. Stating a WGTL victory would have had devastating implications and consequences for the economy, the company and the energy sector as a whole, Ramlogan reminded MPs that Petrotrin won the first leg of the arbitration in Toronto in December 2012. He said WGTL and WGTL St Lucia were found to have breached their respective obligations under the GCA and WGTL was ordered to pay Petrotrin a sum of $14,588,875 in legal costs.
However Ramlogan told the House he did not trumpet that victory because he was wary of a “sting in the tail” which the country could face at in the arbitration proceedings in London. He said had Petrotrin lost those proceedings, the state oil company would have been liable to pay over $1.5 to $1.8 billion to WGTL.
Ramlogan explained the court’s ruling in Petrotrin’s favour now meant the company could receive sums of US$2.6 million, UK$ 763,200 and $40,000 to its legal teams. He said this was another example of the People’s Partnership’s ability deal with several critical problems it inherited from the PNM when it assumed office in May 2010 which had the potential to cripple and paralyse the economy if not properly managed. He reminded the House about Government’s success in receiving $1.4 billion in payment from BAE Systems resulting from the cancellation of the offshore patrol vessel contract signed between BAE and the former PNM government.
Speaking later in the sitting during debate on a private motion, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal described the WGTL project as “the scandal of the century.”
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/print,0,193889.html
Corruption Allegations Against The PNM 2002-2010
1. Nepotism, Patrick Manning making his wife Hazel Manning a Minister
2. Planting Missiles and Cocaine in MP Sadiq Baksh Water Tank
3. Granting Brian Manning a Gun License in 24 hours and disregarding all rules and procedures
4. Giving Brian Manning $9 million for a basketball competition ……(Has it start yet?)
5. The scandal and embarrassment of the $2 million legacy flag
6. $50 million dollars Boat that never Float
7. $45 million secret skullarship fund
8. John Rahael as Minister of Agriculture lease a house and parcel of land belonging to Caroni 1975 Ltd. To his sister
9. John Rahael as Minister of Health give his sons the contract to provide drugs for the CDAP programme
10. Penelope Beckles father got CEPEP contracts while she was an MP
11. Barry Sinanan law firm get government briefs while he was speaker of the house
12. Patrick Manning rented a house from Lenny Saith brother for $38,000 per month while the Palace was building
13. Jerry Narace Company got the contract to provide insurance for T&TEC
14. Kerwyn Garcia, husband of Christine Kangaloo, gets $530,000.brief from government
15. PNM Chairman Franklyn Khan wife get a $60 million contract days before the 2010 election
16. $5 million worth of materials from the Tobago Hospital went to develop Dr. Keith Rowley wife private project
17. Robinson-Regis husband $50,000 per month job at WASA
18. Tobago Hospital going from $136 million to over $800 million in overrun
19. Tarouba Stadium going from $275 million to over $1 billion in overrun
20. Patrick Manning call to the Marabella Police Station demanding his driver be released
21. Cocaine found in diplomatic pouch
22. Patrick Manning $240 million Palace with $3 million drapes
23. Calder Hart$368 million contract to his brother-in-law
24. $2 billion summit of no return
25. Camille Robinson-Regis credit card scandal
26. Maco Manning SIA spying on law abiding citizen
27. $650 million incomplete Legal Affairs Tower
28. $700 million incomplete Chancery Lane Complex
29. $500 million incomplete South Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA)
30. $576Million Rapid Rail feasibility study scandal
31. Dustbin Terrorist a.k.a Mr. Big still at large
32. Bombardier jet joyride
33. A condo for the Profitess/Prophetess at UTT
34. $30 million mystery Guanapo church
35. $30 Million Bamboo Networks Scandal
36. EMBD Chairman Uthara Rao using $400,000 of taxpayers’ money to pay for sexual harassment claims
37. Manning/Bakr Land Deal for Election support
38. Manning giving CJ Sat Sharma an ultimatum to “resign or else”
39. Former PNM Tresurer Andre Monteil Scandalous $110 million HMB Shares
40. T&TEC Street Lighting Scandal
41. $1.8 billion overrun on Waterfront Project
42. John Rahael connected to the Monos Island drug bust
43. Karen Nunez-Tesheira conflict of interest when she withdrew her monies from CLICO
44. Udecott Calder Hart scandal
45. Patrick Manning bolting into a Radio Station demanding 2 announcers be fired
46. Petrotrin $12 billion world GTL, Scandal
47. Making former murder accused David "Buffy" Millard coordinator of a $250 million NHA refurbishing project
48. Appointed Mark Guerra as national adviser to the URP
49. $50 Million Blimp that always Limp
50. $500,000 Skullarship grant to Louis Lee Sing daughter-in-law, Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing
51. Radio License for Louis Lee Sing in 24 hours
52. $55,000 bribery to the former occupants of the Guanapo Church Land
53. Cleaver Heights $10 million attempted fraud
54. Patrick Manning calling Tobago Police Station and ordering 4 Bajan fishermen be released
55. Discrimination against Feroza Ramjohn, Ganga Persad Kissoon and Harridath Mahara
56. Discrimination against the Maha Saba Radio License
57. Rushed to bailout their financier CLICO with billions of taxpayers money
58. “Female” Minister calling the Point Fortin Police Station demanding her son be released after he was caught in a drug bust with 2 Venezuelans
59. Calder Hart as NIB Chairman buying back the $110 million HMB Shares for $130 Million giving former PNM Tresurer Andre Monteil a $20 Million profit
60. $126 Million Broadgate Place Tower Scandal
61. Chaguanas Corporation Administrative Complex—$10 million over-budget and 24 months' delay;
62. Government campus, Legal Affairs Towers—$300 million over-budget
63. Ministry of Education Towers—$300 million over budget
64. NAPA (PoS)—$234 million over-budget
65. NAPA (San Fernando)—$238 million over-budget
66. Beverly Hills Housing—$106 million over-budget
67. Three questionable payments to Bouygues days before the Election, payments were made on May 14 ($3.6 million), May 14 ($10 million) and May 19 ($5 million)
68. Sunway Construction $300 million quarry contract Scandal
bluesteel29 wrote:why is it wen we ask about corruption d govt in power whether it b PNM/UNC say "well d odda party do dis n dat wen dem was in powah"...dai nuh d mc question, dem get vote out for a reason dfuq
time for all these PNM/UNC thieves to be held accountable for their actions.
bluesteel29 wrote:why is it wen we ask about corruption d govt in power whether it b PNM/UNC say "well d odda party do dis n dat wen dem was in powah"...dai nuh d mc question, dem get vote out for a reason dfuq
time for all these PNM/UNC thieves to be held accountable for their actions.
cheese wrote:Indians are no good
cheese wrote:
cheese wrote:Indians are no good
@ dem placardsThe_Honourable wrote:cheese wrote:Indians are no good
About those placards, it is true that there are participants in that march who hold those racial views BUT I would not be too surprised that the participants who are holding up those racial placards are cepep workers *who was in Chaguanas this morning*, were sent to stain the march.
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