From Caribbean News Now

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Allegations made by Jack Warner, who is himself under indictment in the US on multiple counts of racketeering, corruption and money laundering, that he witnessed Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar accepting $8.3 million (US$1.3 million) from local businessmen Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson in exchange for legislative protection against extradition, has been referred to the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Police Service.

Confirmation that an investigation has been launched came on Thursday from head of corporate communications at the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Ellen Lewis.

“I can confirm that the Commissioner of Police did in fact receive correspondence from Mr Jack Warner yesterday July 29th and the matter has been referred to the Anti-Corruption Bureau for investigation,” Lewis told local media in a text message.

Galbaransingh and Ferguson were indicted in the US for conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and bid-rigging in relation to the construction of the Piarco International Airport project between 1996 and 2001.

In 2011, their extradition request by the US was denied by the local courts and they were ordered to be tried in Trinidad.

Subsequently, the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act was passed in August 2012 to abolish preliminary inquiries and replace them with documentary reviews. Section 34 of the Act allowed those people who had matters before the court that were ten years or older to apply to a judge to have their cases dismissed, once the trials had not begun.

However, controversy arose when Galbaransingh and Ferguson made an application to have their cases dismissed under the new Section 34. Two weeks later, with public pressure mounting, an emergency sitting of parliament was called and Section 34 was repealed.

Former justice minister Herbert Volney, who had piloted the Bill in Parliament, was fired on September 20. In May 2014 Volney accepted sole responsibility for the fiasco.

Warner made his bribery claims in respect of Section 34 at a news conference on July 13.

Reading from a sworn statement he apparently made just one day after his indictment in the US on May 27, Warner said: “In the run-up to the May 2010 general election, several meetings were held with Ish Galbaransingh, Steve Ferguson and Mrs Persad-Bissessar. In one of those meetings… at which I was present, Mr Galbaransingh and Mr Ferguson handed over to Mrs Persad-Bissessar a number of cheques totalling $8.3 million.”

Persad-Bissessar responded, saying the allegations were false and without foundation, and that her lawyers would be taking action “to stop this malicious misinformation once and for all”. Nevertheless, there have been no reports of such legal action being taken by her in response to Warner’s claims.

“The record shows that Mr Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, presiding in the Port of Spain High Court, stayed in November 2011 any move to have Galbaransingh and Ferguson extradited as being ‘unjust, oppressive and unlawful’. This was well before the proclamation of Section 34 (in fact, almost one year before). So that claim of a connection is, as others, absolute nonsense,” Persad-Bissessar added.

The prime minister’s response does not, however, appear to address the issue that, while the extradition of Galbaransingh and Ferguson was denied in 2011, the passage of Section 34 the following year allowed them to escape all local charges completely.

IMAGE:
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Trinidad-PM-faces-corruption-probe-27102.html