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pioneer wrote:So say i is ah driver in some ministry, and de minister TELL me to drop de unmarked prado home by he cuz he wha go toco weekend wid he padnas, is that considered corruption?
eliteauto wrote:lest the selective memory also include selective newspaper articles
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/On_ ... 13769.html
eliteauto wrote:lest the selective memory also include selective newspaper articles
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/On_ ... 13769.html
pioneer wrote:HP scandal
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Mor ... 80954.html
woahgaad...wasn't i saying this all along?...HP shipment coming from latin america?...cocaine included?
"He went further to say the Government was not dealing with HP in the United States but HP Latin America"
On the trail of bid-rigging
Public Utilities Minister defends committee on US$120m desalination project
By Camini Marajh Investigative Desk
Story Created: Sep 12, 2010 at 12:39 AM ECT
Story Updated: Sep 12, 2010 at 12:39 AM ECT
In his attempt to retain an industry consultant to assist the State's bid process on the planned US$120 million desalination project, former permanent secretary and now Minister of Public Utilities in the new coalition government Emmanuel George, in 1998, wrote to a fictitious company, fronting as an affiliate of the United Nations, in the payroll of contractor Hafeez Karamath, a Sunday Express investigation has found.
Dr Joseph Ben-Dak, the man George identified as chairman of the New York, USA- based shell corporation, International Industrial Development Foundation (IIDF), was an old friend and business associate of the deceased contractor and the alleged mastermind of an elaborate bid-rigging scheme that stretched from 1996 through 1999 when the contract was awarded to a joint-venture company of Karamath and his US partner, Ionics Inc.
It is not immediately clear how George came to dispatch formal communication to a non-existent entity at the height of the bidding process on the lucrative pay-only-for-water-you-take deal or why he accepted a response from another Ben-Dak business that was on paper only and signed by a different individual, named Mac Shaibe, another old friend of Ben-Dak.
George has refused several requests for an interview, and up to late yesterday, failed to respond to a list of detailed questions about the controversial contract issued to Desalcott in 1999, including questions related to his role as the top public administrator in charge of the procurement process.
In a telephone interview with the Sunday Express on September 1, George defended the work of the nine-member bid evaluation committee, insisting the entire process was "open and transparent". And despite a torrent of criminal charges of fraud and bid-rigging brought against the state-hired consultant Daniel Hoffman, Ben-Dak, Karamath and a Karamath-owned company, the former top public servant insists: "As far as we were concerned in the ministry, there was no corruption in the desalination project, and I maintain that even now."
Did the police get it wrong then?
And what of the evidence uncovered by the police, of bribes deposited into various overseas bank accounts and the flow of phone, fax and e-mail communication between bidder Hafeez Karamath and the State's expert consultants, prior to and during the bid preparation process?
According to Minister George: "We operated the whole thing completely above board. I don't know what they were doing." Did he know Ben-Dak and Hoffman were in the payroll of Mr Karamath? "No. How could I know that? I didn't know that at all."
Could he identify the point person or agency that recommended Ben-Dak? "I tend to remember we had asked the World Bank or the United Nations or somebody at one of those agencies," he said. Which agency exactly? "I don't remember," he said, saying it was a long time ago and his memory was hazy on those details.
Did he know Ben-Dak was fired by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on April 1, 1997? "No, I didn't know that," he said. Pressed on how he came to write to Ben-Dak on August 25, 1998 after Ben-Dak's ouster from the UNDP, and the name of the individual or agency that supplied the Ben-Dak reference, the minister maintained it was "one of the United Nations' agencies".
Told it was unlikely the UN would recommend someone it had previously fired for using the UN's name and resources for his own personal benefit, George said: Well, that is how we were sourcing help, and that is how the help came."
Help from whom exactly? "I don't recall," he said. Asked again how he came to write Ben-Dak's ghost company IIDF that lists Ben-Dak's old home address, 20 Villa Street, Fleetwood, New York, as its business place and has a similar-sounding name to a real UN agency—United Nations International Industrial Development Organisation—the Minister said: "Well you are telling me something that I cannot remember, you know."
Documents obtained by the Sunday Express (see photo at top right) show the then permanent secretary, on August 25, 1998, wrote to Ben-Dak as the chairman of IIDF, an alleged "United Nations affiliate" on "Minister of Public Utilities" stationery. The George letter, the first official correspondence to Ben-Dak on record, seeks assistance in the short-listing of interested bidders on the desalination project, the judging of presentations and final selection, and negotiations with the selected bidder.
The George letter points to a previous communication with Ben-Dak. The letter begins: "As you are aware, the Ministry of Public Utilities, (MPU) together with its agency, the Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), has been pursuing a strategy for the provision of a sustainable supply of potable water for both domestic and industrial consumers by the year 2000."
Page two of the initial George communiqué notes: "Following our recent discussions, we understand that your Foundation has acquired tremendous international experience in negotiating similar arrangements with the private sector for technological solutions in the water industry.
"As a result, we would appreciate if you could also consider recommending an adviser (preferably with a legal background) for the negotiation stage of the procurement process to assist WASA in designing an appropriate Water Purchase Agreement between the Authority and the successful proposer."
The then permanent secretary ends his letter to Ben-Dak on this note: "Finally, we wish to thank you for the effort and interest you have previously shown and would appreciate the continued cooperation and assistance of the Foundation to the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago."
Ben-Dak's pal, Mac Shaibe, responds to the official George request, which was written on the minister's letterhead stationery. But the Shaibe response, dated September 3, 1998, is on the letterhead of a different entity, a company called ReGenesis Foundation for United Nations Programming in Science and Technology. And like Ben-Dak's other shell corporations, this one is also disguised to look like a UN entity. In reality, it is a company on paper only and lists the personal phone and fax numbers and home address of Ben-Dak's former business partner, Gary Sazer, at 79 Redbrook Road, Kings Point, New York.
The Shaibe letter states in part: "The ReGenesis Foundation for UN Programming in Science and Technology has received your request for the three stages of evaluation and substantive inputs for your proposed desalination project. Your outlook of the project requirement for comprehensive planning, including all impacted areas and the need/response items, deserve the best that our team can bring to the project. Daniel Hoffman has accepted the evaluation assignment for the immediate first stage. His CV is attached.
"We may be able to use his services or other team members for the next stage. I should hasten to add the cost of his services will be borne by us. However, each day Mr Hoffman attends to this phase of the project, all housing, hospitality and airport transfer to Port of Spain and logistical support is the responsibility of the Ministry," said Shaibe.
Asked why he proceeded to communicate with Shaibe (see photo at right) when he had written to Ben-Dak and whether he thought it odd a different entity with a different named individual had responded to his August 25 request for assistance, the Public Utilities Minister said: "You are telling me that I wrote to one company and a different company responded?"
Told that is what our information showed, George said: "Ms Marajh, watch me…all I am saying is that we were operating this thing completely above board. Whatever those guys were doing, we didn't know at all. If that is what has been found out and they were not operating completely above board…well … you know, there was nothing we could have done about it if we didn't know about it."
Sunday Express: "So you were completely in the dark?"
George: "Yes."
"But Minister George, you brought Mr Ben-Dak and Mr Hoffman into the process? You wrote to one entity and another responded. It is a pretty big anomaly. It didn't raise any red flags for you?"
"Well I can't recall. I am saying this to you all the time… I don't know if you are taking notes, but I am saying to you that we did all of this in full confidence that it was proper. If it turns out that these guys were acting less than properly…well what can I do?"
"Given what we know now, do you think that you and your ministry took sufficient measures to safeguard the bid process from manipulation?"
"All of the people who were working with me were of impeccable integrity and were acting properly, and I will repeat that publicly because that is what I knew at the time."
"But with all respect, Minister, this was the subject of a police investigation; search warrants were executed, homes and offices were searched. People were arrested on charges of corruption. You yourself were questioned by members of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau and Mr (Bob) Lindquist."
"Yeah. I remember talking to Mr Lindquist and to the police, and I repeat, there was nothing in the process that was questionable in my view."
"And you writing in an official capacity to a non-existent company doesn't qualify as questionable?"
"Ms Marajh, I told you I don't recall those details. These things are dated, eh. You are talking about years and years ago. Memories go. To be fair, I can't recall those specific details."
The minister also had no recall of why he failed to complete and submit a score sheet in the bid evaluation process. "You are asking me things that I can't recall. Specific details I can't recall, unless I am shown a paper trail. I would have to see that
Charge sheet
Four years after the desalination plant was finally commissioned, the police, in June 2006, issued arrest warrants for two Israeli nationals, Dr Joseph Ben-Dak and Daniel Hoffman, contractor Hafeez Karamath and a Karamath-owned company, Hafeez Karamath Engineering Services Ltd (HKESL). The charge sheet accuses the four parties specifically of conspiracy to defraud and bid-rigging on the water-supply contract. The charges: 1. Falsely pretending the said process was open, honest and competitive 2. The manipulation of the desalination bid evaluation committee so the grant of the water supply contract to the said Desalcott was pre-determined. Current status of criminal proceedings: 1. Hafeez Karamath—The charges against Hafeez Karamath died with his death on November 2, 2009. 2. Daniel Hoffman—There is no extradition treaty between Trinidad and Tobago and Israel. However, if he should travel outside of Israel, there is a good chance he could be picked up by Interpol and brought to Trinidad to stand trial. 3. Dr Joseph Ben-Dak—He has challenged the extradition request in the US courts. Local authorities lost the first round of its extradition case to bring the New York-based resident to Trinidad to face trial. A New York judge found the Trinidad application, which failed to include any exhibits, did not meet the "probable cause" test. Local authorities are in the process of making a fresh application to the US State Department. 4. HKESL—The charge against HKESL is now before Magistrate Mark Wellington. document to remember why. Ms Marajh, this was 1998. We are now in 2010. How could I remember? This was a long time ago." "So nothing about the bid process stands out in your mind?" "No." "And you continue to hold the view that the taxpayers of Trinidad got the best deal for their money with the Karamath/Ionics joint venture?" "If the bid was awarded to him, then that is the reason it was awarded to him." "Minister George, do you recall how Mark Austin entered the process?" "Who? Mark Austin? I don't even remember the name." "He was the man, consultant number one, who provided advice on the design criteria for the bid process." "I don't recall the name at all." "You don't recall the Austin Report?" "No. I don't recall." "He was retained by Ben-Dak in late 1997 and did an early short-listing of interested parties at the time." "You are telling me things I don't know. You have information in front of you." "Would it help if I e-mail you some questions?" "No. I told you, I don't recall a lot of the details." "But, Minister George, you are now back in the Ministry of Public Utilities. You are the minister. Surely, you can pull the relevant documents related to the desalination project and see if it helps you to remember?" "Well, it might. I don't know, but I am not minded to do it because I have said what I have to say on this. All of the people who were working in the ministry were working in good faith. I am certain Mr Lindquist knows that. I am certain the police know that. They know that all the people in our ministry were of good integrity, and we were dealing with them (consultants) in good faith." Documents in the possession of the Sunday Express suggest it may well have been blind faith.
Timeline to a rigged bid
June 1996—Documents seized in a police raid at Hafeez Karamath's San Juan office point to a confidentiality agreement struck between old friends and business associates Karamath and Israeli national Dr Joseph Ben-Dak during the latter's visit to Trinidad. September 4, 1996—Israeli Mark Austin, a senior adviser to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Technology & Business Group, in a faxed message to Karamath, asked him to put in a good word for the Ben-Dak-headed UNDP unit to the Barama Corporation in Guyana. Ben-Dak was the then principal adviser, science and technology, UNDP Global Technology & Business Group. April 1, 1997—Ben-Dak is terminated as principal adviser science and technology, UNDP Global Technology & Business Group, after five years for misuse of his UN credentials. Late 1997—UNDP consultant Austin is dispatched to Port of Spain by Ben-Dak, who is no longer associated with the UNDP agency, to aid development efforts to address the water shortage problem on the island. He makes the first of four visits to Trinidad in late 1997 and meets with the technical adviser, Ministry of Public Utilities, Khansham Kanhai, Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) officials and later that same day, with Hafeez Karamath, who tells him: "There is plenty of money to be made as a result of this project." Late 1997 to early 1998—Karamath and Hubert Bhagwansingh express interest in building the facility January 1998—Karamath, who had substantial loan facilities with Republic Bank, urged Fincor manager Cheryl Greaves to engage Austin as a consultant and offers to "undertake to meet all financial requirements in this transaction." The bank did engage Austin but refused Karamath's offer. Travel records seized by the police show Karamath also paid travel and hotel expenses for Austin and a companion to travel to Trinidad in January and again, in June of 1998. A police analysis of phone records show Karamath was in regular contact with both Ben-Dak and Austin before and after Austin submitted his report, which favoured Karamath. January 1998—Austin submits report to the Ministry of Public Utilities (MPU). It sets out the preliminary evaluation criteria and a recommendation for the construction of a desalination facility. He concludes: "The use of evaluation criteria and a weighting system rationalised the proposal selection process and confirmed conclusions drawn from a studied examination of the private sector inputs." He determined Karamath had the best proposal for moving forward and indicated the MPU should begin negotiations with Karamath towards an MOU. Early 1998—following receipt of the Austin report, then public utilities minister Ganga Singh and Kanhai went on trips to Antigua and Arizona, USA, to have a first-hand look at operating desalination plants. Two weeks after Ben-Dak sends the Austin report to Port of Spain, he tells his fellow Israeli WASA had rejected his analysis since he didn't have a PhD, nor was he an expert in water desalination. Austin told investigators he received no payment for his work on the evaluation process, and his involvement with the water-desalination project ended when he submitted his report. Interestingly, a note to Cabinet reports reliance on the assistance of Mark Austin from the UN. No reference is made to Dr Ben-Dak. March 1998—Karamath proposed an "exclusive teaming arrangement" to WASA, in which his company would enter into agreements with various necessary parties and would also lease ten acres of unimproved land within the Pt Lisas Industrial estate to build a desalination plant. March 26, 1998—apparently, following up on the Karamath proposal, Cabinet approves an action plan in pursuit of building a desalination facility at Pt Lisas on a build, own and operate (BOO) basis. June 1998—Karamath begins the hunt for a partner. Enters into a MOU agreement with US engineering firm Ionics Inc. Ionics officials told investigators he talked as if the contract was a done deal. July 1998—the MPU invites proposals from private firms July 28, 1998—MPU issues formal invitation to pre-qualify for the BOO desalination project. Issues a deadline of August 21, 1998 for completion and submission of pre-qualification documents. August 18, 1998—Ben-Dak travels with his wife and daughter to Trinidad. Stays at the Hilton Trinidad as guests of Hafeez Karamath. August 25, 1998—Then permanent secretary Emmanuel George writes to Ben-Dak, in his capacity as chairman of a fake company, International Industrial Development Foundation, United Nations affiliate, seeking help to secure an industry expert. September 1, 1998—Handwritten fax note from Ben-Dak to Karamath, advising contact had been made with Hoffman and agreement reached for a US$1,000-a-day, plus expenses, four-day trip to Trinidad "for review of prep". September 3, 1998—Karamath, in a faxed response to Ben-Dak, agrees to cover transportation costs of US$3,000, the US$1,000 a day and other miscellaneous costs for the Hoffman visit. The Karamath fax contained a draft letter addressed to PS George, indicating Hoffman's company, ReGenesis, had received and accepted George's request for his input in evaluating bids on the proposed desalination project. Karamath ends the fax with this instruction to Ben-Dak: "Please Re-do and send to me for final approval. Call me! HK." (See photo at top left) Later that same day (Sept 3), the contents of the Karamath draft finds its way on a ReGenesis letterhead to the permanent secretary's office. The letter was signed by Mac Shaibe as chairman of the board and contained a footnote on Hoffman's planned visit to Trinidad on September 7 to 11, 1998. September 4, 1998—Karamath tells Ben-Dak the letter (see photo at bottom left) sent to PS George was "perfect", but there was a slight change to the schedule. The MPU requires Hoffman to be in Trinidad from September 14 18.
UML wrote:ahmmm........u repost inside a thread?!!...........thank god d PNM no more!!
UML wrote:eliteauto wrote:lest the selective memory also include selective newspaper articles
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/On_ ... 13769.html
hope the PP remove him from the Ministrypioneer wrote:HP scandal
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Mor ... 80954.html
woahgaad...wasn't i saying this all along?...HP shipment coming from latin america?...cocaine included?
"He went further to say the Government was not dealing with HP in the United States but HP Latin America"
ahmmmmmmm u do know that HP Latin America deals with Trinidad and Tobago right?!!
UML wrote::lol:
ohhhhhh wow clicking is so difficult.....after all it is a website
BANzai Rastafarai wrote:UML wrote:eliteauto wrote:lest the selective memory also include selective newspaper articles
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/On_ ... 13769.html
hope the PP remove him from the Ministrypioneer wrote:HP scandal
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Mor ... 80954.html
woahgaad...wasn't i saying this all along?...HP shipment coming from latin america?...cocaine included?
"He went further to say the Government was not dealing with HP in the United States but HP Latin America"
ahmmmmmmm u do know that HP Latin America deals with Trinidad and Tobago right?!!
ahhmmmm you do know that theres a $20 million TT annual cost that comes out of the taxpayers money for those laptops right?
as in.....every year for the life of the SLA (Service Level Agreement) HP Latin America collects $20Million TT of our money for really doing......nothing?
hustla_ambition101 wrote:UML wrote::lol:
ohhhhhh wow clicking is so difficult.....after all it is a website
backpedal ftl
pugboy wrote:are ish/steve still relaxing in the infirmary ?
UML wrote:BANzai Rastafarai wrote:UML wrote:eliteauto wrote:lest the selective memory also include selective newspaper articles
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/On_ ... 13769.html
hope the PP remove him from the Ministrypioneer wrote:HP scandal
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Mor ... 80954.html
woahgaad...wasn't i saying this all along?...HP shipment coming from latin america?...cocaine included?
"He went further to say the Government was not dealing with HP in the United States but HP Latin America"
ahmmmmmmm u do know that HP Latin America deals with Trinidad and Tobago right?!!
ahhmmmm you do know that theres a $20 million TT annual cost that comes out of the taxpayers money for those laptops right?
as in.....every year for the life of the SLA (Service Level Agreement) HP Latin America collects $20Million TT of our money for really doing......nothing?
well if u can get it free please bring it to the attention of the respective authorityhustla_ambition101 wrote:UML wrote::lol:
ohhhhhh wow clicking is so difficult.....after all it is a website
backpedal ftl
u even more dottish than i thought!!
das not a backpedal.....das highlighting your stupidity
$47m AWARD IN ONE DAY
Airports Authority signs off on lighting contract to Central firm
By Carolyn Kissoon South Bureau
Story Created: Oct 8, 2010 at 11:46 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 8, 2010 at 11:46 PM ECT
A contract valued at $47 million was approved by the Airports Authority (AA) on September 21, a day after a Central company won a bid to upgrade the lights at Piarco International Airport.
The details of the contract are contained in a letter of acceptance, dated September 21, sent by AA to the company.
The letter was first disclosed on the Breaking Barriers television show of broadcaster Inshan Ishmael, a supporter of the People's Partnership who raised questions about the award.
A former board member of AA has also described the contract award as "impossible". He said AA regulations allowed the board to award contracts to a maximum of $500,000 and only in "absolute emergencies".
AA is one of the State companies which has been operating without a board of directors since the May 24 general election. Members of the former board, which was chaired by John Eckstein, resigned on June 30.
Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner is the line minister in charge of AA and had been made aware of the contract details.
The $47,785,762.92 (plus $7.1 million VAT) proposal was made by Harry Persad and Sons Ltd, a company located at Mohepath Trace, St Helena Village, Piarco.
The letter, signed off by AA's corporate secretary/legal adviser Hayden Newton, stated: "We refer to your price proposal for the upgrade of the approach lighting system and the airfield lighting infrastructure at the Piarco International Airport, dated September 20, 2010, and advise that your proposal is acceptable to us."
The letter was copied to AA acting general manager Louis Frederick and deputy general manager Varma Joadsingh, who has responsibility for Estate Planning and Business Development.
Several attempts to contact Warner for comment on the issue during the day yesterday were unsuccessful. Speaking through one of his communications specialists late last night, however, Warner said he was in a Cabinet meeting at the Red House in Port of Spain. The meeting was called immediately following yesterday's session of Parliament to discuss State board appointments and went late into the night.
Contacted yesterday, an official at Harry Persad and Sons Ltd said he was unable to confirm the contract was awarded.
"I am unable to answer questions on that issue. Mr (Harry) Persad is the most suitable person, but he is unavailable."
Former Chaguanas mayor Natasha Navas, who now holds the position of human resources manager at the Airports Authority, could not be reached last evening.
UML wrote:TT Smart Cards
600 ppl removed for undeserving allocation
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