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

[hustla_ambition101]

TT Smart Cards

600 ppl removed for undeserving allocation

has been increased to 1027 unqualified smart card holders

whappen you have a list of sumting? I know of a few undeserving candidates, hopefully they getting cut out too

[RASC]

Bump for latest AATT developments.

Great thread UML, let's expose these people! I'm surprised you haven't updated anything as of late tho...it's okay, I'm giving you a free bump to refresh your memory.

[Greypatch]

http://www.transparency.org/policy_rese ... 10/results

178 Country poll

The worst country is Somalia, followed by Burma, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Hats off to Barbados

In the Caribbean

17 Barbados 7.8

22 USA 7.1

44 Dominica 5.2

69 Cuba 3.7

73 T&T 3.6

87 Jamaica 3.3

116 Guyana 2.7

164 Venezuela 2.0

[VexXx Dogg]

any improvements since the PP won?

We are almost at the bottom of that scale.

[Ignorant Ignis]

haiti 146 2.2

[Bareback]

any improvements since the PP won?

We are almost at the bottom of that scale.

Nah we in de middle (73 T&T 3.6), certainly does not look too good though being in the lower part of the top 50% and we trying to sell ourselves in the UK, NY and locally!

[zcarz]

That is why Barbados will always be considered to be 'more developed...' we are definitely too low down.. and on another note Guyana needs to get it together soon...

[UML]

'$1.1b in contracts given out in haste'
By Ria Taitt Political Editor

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/__1 ... 56478.html

Story Created: Oct 29, 2010 at 10:42 PM ECT

Story Updated: Oct 29, 2010 at 10:42 PM ECT

The Estate Management Development Company awarded $1.1 billion worth of contracts between April 19 and May 29, 2010, Agriculture Minister Vasant Bharath told the House of Representatives yesterday.

"There appeared to be some sort of indecent haste because the bunching of these contracts, valued at $1.1 billion, was immediately after the date that the election was announced, culminating on May 29—which is five days after the election was lost (by the PNM)," he said.

He also revealed that the EMBD had $32 million worth of contracts that the previous administration just stopped. He was speaking during the windup of a motion on Land Acquisition.

His colleague, Foreign Affairs Minister and Tabaquite MP Suruj Rambachan, clashed with Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley. Rambachan said where housing estates were developed by the EMBD, the roads and drains are collapsing and the areas are prone to flooding. He said contractors were not properly supervised.

He said while Rowley, a former housing minister, was a geologist, this Government found that the houses built by the HDC were cracking up and therefore it (Government) had to reduce the price of the houses because of the poor quality.

Rambachan said Rowley should have ensured there was proper soil testing.

"Opposition Leader it would be better in your interest to stand here and tell the population 'we hired contractors, they did a bad job, they had poor supervision'...You don't build a house on shifting soil," he said, to deskthumping.

Rowley countered that Rambachan was raising "engineering problems" as opposed to the suitability of lands for agriculture versus housing.

Rambachan's criticisms followed Rowley's rebuking of members of the UNC. Rowley said the UNC, in opposition and now in Government, had a habit of saying the PNM had a policy of alienating agricultural lands for housing. However, Rowley asked the Government to identify out of all the housing projects which ones it would not have pursued on the basis the land should have been used for agriculture.

Saying there was almost competition for land use, Rowley said on virtually all the lands in this country, one could "grow something". He said it was the UNC which assigned 150 acres of land at Orange Grove, which had "highest quality soil in the country", to housing.

Rowley also called on Government to make a decision on the issue of improved access to Chaguaramas. He said the one road was wholly inadequate.

"All you need is one beer drinker to park his car in front of a rumshop and traffic backs up," he said.

[UML]

End of ‘Smart Man’ Card
Peter D Neptune
Published: 4 Sep 2009

http://guardian.co.tt/news/business/200 ... t-man-card

Peter D Neptune

Nearly 6,000 persons will be eliminated from the government’s smart card programme after a review of the system revealed that nearly one out of five recipients did not meet the criteria for receiving government support. In declaring that “the days of the Smart Man Card were over,” Social Development Minister, Dr Amery Browne said Cabinet approved additional funding for the programme referred to as the Targeted Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (TCCTP), which provided support for vulnerable members of society, by transferring funds to a debit card for the purchase of basic food items.

Dr Browne said there were some card holders who were avoiding Ministry officials or were not available when the survey was being conducted. Those persons will be removed from the database within three months unless their case is reviewed, and he urged persons who really needed the support to contact the Ministry by September 18, to have their profile updated and added to the database. Speaking at the weekly post Cabinet press briefing, Dr Browne said many of the loopholes that allowed persons to take advantage of the system were closed as well as the criteria for accessing the programme has also been updated and strictly applied, so more people needing help from the authorities will receive it.

He said many people inappropriately received support because the criteria for entering the programme was not as stringent, and the ministry had also hired additional staff to process new applicants as well as visit homes to see first hand the living conditions of recipients, to ensure that government funds are properly targeted. He noted that Cabinet had approved his request for the financial benefit of the card be increased by about 35 percent. This included increases in transfers from $300 to $410 for homes with three persons. For households with more than six members, the benefit will increase from $500 to $700.

He noted that government has spent $61 million on the project thus far, and the state is expecting to increase that allocation in the upcoming National Budget. He noted that government has also budgeted an additional $270,000 for a social awareness programme to alert persons who may qualify for help to contact the Ministry. Minister Browne defended the successes of the project thus far, saying that the government had a precedent for adopting technology to reach out to disadvantaged persons. He said the programme gained high praises in Chile, for taking many people on the fringes and on the poverty line out of difficulties, and helping them through until they can fend for themselves.




Minister: 'Smart card' smartmen driving sports cars
By Sue-Ann Wayow South Bureau

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business/99154179.html

Story Created: Jul 23, 2010 at 11:40 PM ECT

Story Updated: Aug 4, 2010 at 2:30 AM ECT

Some of the "poor" people receiving the TTCards—which allows them to purchase food—are driving sports cars and are undeserving of the State grant, Social Development Minister Glenn Ramadharsingh said yesterday.

"The country has enough for everyone in need but it doesn't have enough for everyone in greed," he added.

Ramadharsingh was speaking at the launch of a road rehabilitation project at Arena Road, Freeport.

His ministry has launched a series of community outreach meetings across the country, where many have come out to apply for the TTCard to purchase basic food items, but which does not allow for the purchase of alcohol or cigarettes.

There was a rush for the TTCard meeting in Carapichaima and Penal this week.

Ramadharsingh said yesterday he did not like the term "smart cards" , but the "person who is driving a sports car and fancy vehicle, he holding a smart card. We have to get rid of smartmen who have smart cards".

He said the seized cards would be given to those who needed it.

The roadwork project launched yesterday will cost $9 million to fix five kilometres of the Arena Road which connects Freeport to Caparo and is used by many in the agricultural sector.

It is expected to be completed in two months.

Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner, who launched a programme of road rehabilitation at Calcutta Road, Freeport, earlier this month, was scheduled to attend yesterday but opted instead to accompany Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on a motorcade in support of Monday's Local Government election.

Minister in the Works and Transport Ministry, Rudranath Indarsingh, asked the people of Freeport to be patient while the roadworks were being completed.

[UML]

Spy list reveals: Pres’ phone tapped
Gail Alexander
Published: 13 Nov 2010

http://guardian.co.tt/news/general/2010 ... one-tapped

Gail Alexander

The telephones of President George Maxwell Richards, former police commissioner James Philbert, PNM MP Keith Rowley, businessman Gary Aboud and comedian Rachael Price were among those tapped by the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) under the previous administration, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has claimed. In a statement to Parliament yesterday, Persad-Bissessar read out a list of people whose phones, she said, were tapped by the SIA. Persad- Bissessar said: “Under the former government, Big Brother seems to have taken a very keen interest in ordinary citizen’s private lives and affairs.”

The PM presented legislation that provides the legal framework within which public or private communications, which are being transmitted by means of a public or private telecommunications network, can be lawfully intercepted. “It is our view that wire-tapping is an important tool that can greatly assist the police in the fight against crime and protect national security,” she said.
“It must, however, be carefully regulated and justified on the basis of necessary criminal intelligence or a potential threat to national security.” She said governments worldwide have found it necessary to embrace the use of communications interception to collect the vital intelligence needed to gain the advantage to fight domestic and international crime and terrorism.

Persad-Bissessar, however, said she was shocked to have received a recent report, which suggested that the SIA may have been involved in political wire-tapping along with the Special Anti Crime Unit (Sautt). She said information “suggested” that sensitive information obtained via illegal wire-tapping of government ministers’ phones was being supplied to a certain MP from the Opposition bench. “That MP now sits in this honourable House and served the highest level in government under the previous administration,” the PM said. “I asked Police Commissioner Gibbs to investigate the matter.” Persad-Bissessar said experts were flown in from Canada and a “high-level” team from Special Branch took control of the SIA’s operation on October 23.

She claimed: “The investigation conducted revealed a frightening picture involving and financial impropriety and illegal wire-tapping of a wide cross-section of civil society.” She said the agencies reported directly to the Minister of National Security and the Prime Minister, as head of the country’s National Security Council. “In some cases, this power was misused to spy on political opponents and perceived political enemies,” she said.

Persad -Bissessar said subjects who were tapped included:
• Members of the judiciary;
• trade unionists;
• editors and journalists;
• media houses;
• radio talk show hosts;
• comedians;
• people in the entertainment industry;
• former Opposition MPs;
• government ministers;
• sports personalities;
• businessmen;
• newspaper columnists;
• advertising executives;
• county councillors;
• lawyers; and
• in some cases, the children of such people.

Persad-Bissessar claimed a “covert project,” code-named “OPPORATION NEWS” commenced in March 2005, and has been ongoing since. She claimed interception included the monitoring of people’s e-mail also. “One list provided by the Commissioner of Police contains the name of every single government minister in the People’s Partnership,” she said. “Sadly, Mr Speaker, the names of our children are also included on this list. “There are many others whose names I have not disclosed to this Parliament. The ones that I have mentioned are persons involved in public life in one form or the other.”

She said she did not intend to move from Big Brother to “Big Sister.”
Persad-Bissessar said Special Branch reports were that the SIA “was a virtual law unto itself.” She said Special Branch officers found $5.9 million in cash and an undisclosed quantity of firearm and ammunition was seized. Initial audit reports reveal that $15 million cannot be accounted for, she said. “Evidence suggests that a massive sanitisation operation took place after the general election,” the PM said. “Empty folders carrying the name of the individuals who were the subject of interception were found. “Other records of taped conversations and transcription of conversations have been removed and/or destroyed.”

Persad-Bissessar said the wire-tapping continued after the results of the last general election. “It is alleged that information gathered by the SIA was secretly being siphoned to a certain opposition,” she claimed. She said recently, she indicated that she believed the former administration was intercepting private conversations of citizens, including her own. “I now know this to be true,” she added. She said her suspicions were aroused by a Parliament contribution by her predecessor during the September 2008 budget debate. She noted former prime minister Patrick Manning’s remarks then when he had claimed Persad-Bissessar had links with someone from the Integrity Commission.

Persad-Bissessar noted Manning had said he had called “one of the security agencies to check it.” Of the alleged overall wire-tapping, Persad- Bissessar said: “That such illegal activity was sanctioned by the executive arm of the State without reference to the elected representatives of the people and the Parliament is a tragedy and an extremely dangerous precedent...the country was being run by executive decree instead of parliamentary approval.”





Spouses As Spies
SIA hired friends and relatives to be 'informants' at $20,000 a month
By Akile Simon akile.simon@trinidadexpress.com

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Spo ... 38509.html

Story Created: Nov 13, 2010 at 11:45 PM ECT

Story Updated: Nov 13, 2010 at 11:45 PM ECT

THE Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) which was financed by the Ministry of National Security with no level of accountability, paid as much as $20,000 a month to "informants", who supplied no creditable information in the fight against crime.

The unit, which was not known to citizens or even police officers, consisted of close to 200 civilians and personnel from the Army and the Coast Guard. According to a reliable source close to the Canadian team hired by the Police Service to conduct a forensic audit on the SIA, allegations of corruption within the unit, "smell to the high heavens".

Speaking with the Sunday Express on condition of strict anonymity, the source said many of the agency's "informants" were friends, relatives and spouses of SIA personnel. These "informants" were paid in cash so that their identities would not be compromised by the tracing of bank records. The SIA had several bank accounts which were concealed as company accounts to avoid the exposure of the secret agency.

The source said: "That was a major cause for concern and that was one of the things the international auditors picked up on. They hired their own spouses to work in the unit. They were paying informants between $15,000 and $20,000 a month and there are allegations that kick-backs used to occur.

"Many of them weren't informants at all. It was ah partner and friend thing taking place. That's what some of the allegations have revealed. The system itself was corrupt and there were no financial audits being conducted to hold persons accountable for millions of taxpayers' money that was being spent at this unit," the source said.

A senior military source yesterday condemned Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for making such information about the agency public.

"As head of a Government you don't do these things because it compromises the security of the country. She was wrong to do what she did, because in all the developed countries you have agencies just as the SIA which the public never knows about.

"It's in the public's own best interest that they do not know about these agencies," a senior military officer told the Sunday Express.

The SIA was established as a direct result of a review of the intelligence services after the 1990 coup attempt. In addition to the SIA, the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) was reintroduced under the Office of the Prime Minister.

Nigel Clement, the last director of the director of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) and SIA, was last week dismissed from both positions and has refused to comment on the matter.

The SSA is a legitimate central co-ordinating entity authorised by Act No 24 of 1995 for the suppression of illicit drug traffic.

[UML]

Ex-PM secured HDC house for Pena's brother, says Roodal
By Joel Julien joel.julien@trinidadexpress.com

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Ex- ... 55644.html

Story Created: Nov 19, 2010 at 11:49 PM ECT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2010 at 10:46 PM ECT

FORMER prime minister Patrick Manning used his office to secure an HDC house for the brother of his spiritual adviser, Rev Juliana Pena, Leader of Government Business Dr Roodal Moonilal said last evening.

"He facilitated the brother of Mrs Pena to obtain a house from the Housing Development Corporation, Mr Speaker. The former prime minister commanded and demanded that the HDC provide a house to brother of Juliana Pena. We are not malicious, we are not an administration that is vindictive, nobody going to take back nobody house and so on," Moonilal said during his contribution in Parliament last night.

Moonilal said he had made the discovery in his capacity as Minister of Housing.

His comment came as he responded to an earlier claim by Manning that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is building a $150 million mansion and that the media should have full access to the house, during the debate on the Interception of Communications Bill.

"The member (Manning) sought to impute improper motives on the Member for Siparia and indeed her family over the construction of a private dwelling of someone who has been in public life for 24 years, and an attorney of law for decades, a professional, and whose spouse, Mr Speaker, with great respect, is a medical doctor, professional practising for decades."

Moonilal said Manning's claims were "fabricated and false", and he (Manning) was exhibiting "some portrait of delusion".

Moonilal claimed that Persad-Bissessar's private home has been under construction for the past seven years on land purchased over 20 years ago.

He said Manning "sought in the most incredible manner to suggest the Member of Parliament for Siparia should open their private residence to the media, but when he was prime minister he never opened a house built by the taxpayers to the media".

Moonilal was referring to the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's, the Prime Minister's residence which Manning had occupied during his term in office.

He described Manning, the Member of Parliament for San Fernando East, as a "delusional" and "hypocrite".






Never again, says Sandy
SIA spying revealed
By by Ria Taitt Political Editor

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Nev ... 55639.html

Story Created: Nov 19, 2010 at 11:49 PM ECT

Story Updated: Nov 19, 2010 at 11:49 PM ECT

There was no audit of the accounts of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (SIA) for the last decade, 2001 to the present, National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy revealed yesterday.

Piloting the Interception of Communication Bill in the House of Representatives, Sandy said a forensic audit would now be conducted. He noted, however, that the failure to audit the accounts from 2001 was "quite an alarming discovery" and it was "all engineered and overseen by a sick mind; a manic mind; a manic man".

Sandy said "those intent on being mischievous" were suggesting that Government was dismantling or undermining national security agencies, systems and strategies. He said nothing was further from the truth.

"What we are attempting to dismantle is the dictatorial power of a sick mind; a manic mind; a manic man. Never again in this country must citizens be exposed to that manifestation of tyranny. Never again," Sandy said.

He said privacy issues could not be ignored, especially as this Government advocates the protection of human rights and transparency of operations. However, he said this Government remained insistent that the security of the nation will not be compromised in order to protect the privacy of criminals.

He said Government hoped that the legislation would assist in accomplishing the security goals.

"We support interception because if used as envisaged and authorised, it will prove an effective investigative technique for law enforcement and intelligence agencies," he said.

He added that this tool was necessary for the common good of the society.

"But Mr Speaker, we cannot and must not subject our innocent, law abiding citizens, especially of the stature revealed in this Honourable House, to the invasion of their privacy."

He said the interception of communication was a remarkable law enforcement mechanism that contributed to a safer nation, region and world and had been successfully used to gather intelligence to deal with drug trafficking, gang activity and prevention of organised crime and corruption. He said Government was adamant that it would not allow criminal activity to run rampant and unharnessed.

"We are aware that criminals are using technology to perpetrate crime. As such, our national security agencies must be equally responsive, well trained and equipped to prevent this level of lawlessness," he said.

Sandy called on his colleagues on the other side, some of whom had been the victims of this "manic mind', to join us in ridding our national community of the possibility of a recurrence of this horrendous infringement of our constitutional rights, by supporting the passage of this legislation".

Sandy also congratulated Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs and his investigating officers for the professional job done "in unearthing the apparent inconsistencies that were occurring at the SIA".

[UML]

Subhas slams Khan
'Wife got contract without pre-qualification'
By Ria Taitt Political Editor

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Sub ... 01964.html

Story Created: Dec 8, 2010 at 12:05 AM ECT

Story Updated: Dec 8, 2010 at 12:05 AM ECT

Labelling former minister Franklin Khan as the "$64 million man", Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Subhas Panday said yesterday that a company owned by Khan's wife Laura Sewlal Khan got a contract from the Estate Management Development Company (EMBD) for $64 million even though it never pre-qualified.

Speaking in the debate on the Finance Bill in the Senate yesterday, Panday noted that Khan was going to fight for the People's National Movement (PNM) chairmanship in the upcoming convention.

Panday said the Government was investigating Vidara Enterprises, a company, "which has close connections to the heart, bowels and soul of the PNM", whose director is Laura Sewlal Khan.

The contract was to develop lands in Felicity 2, Chaguanas.

Panday said Nigel Gittens, civil structural engineer, wrote to the EMBD on March 4 informing them that "over 100 companies had been assessed, 64 companies had passed the test and Vidara Ltd was the only company which did not pre-qualify".

Panday said Vidara received three out of ten in performance evaluation and quality standards. Panday said Khan was a recommender and a project manager.

Included in the package when the company applied for the contract was Khan's curriculum vitae, which cited as his attributes "strong leadership, ability to motivate".

Panday said Khan could write to the Senate President and bring it to the attention of the Parliament. He added if he was wrong he would stand the consequences.

Senate President Timothy Hamel-Smith implored Panday not to cast aspersions on the character of anyone unless he produced hard evidence and to refrain from that kind of language, especially since the damage might have already been done.

Panday said although he had the evidence, in deference to the President, he would apologise.

The President urged Panday to stick to the Finance Bill.

Panday said on the date that the election was announced, the EMBD "headed by Noel Garcia" issued the contract to Vidara Ltd.

Saying that the PNM was "corrupted" and should never see the corridors of power again, Panday quoted from an interview in the Express in which Khan said he was interested in Balisier House, not Red House.

He advised Khan to stick to the Balisier House and don't come near to the public purse.

[Halfbreed07]

This article is a repost btw
See my question to RASC post for his reply or lack thereof

[UML]

i know...had to put it here for "record-keeping" purposes

[UML]

Aripo hideout
Juliana Pena booked into private UTT-leased guest house for 10 months
By Camini Marajh Investigative Desk

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Ari ... 35784.html

Story Created: Dec 11, 2010 at 11:47 PM ECT

Story Updated: Dec 12, 2010 at 1:24 AM ECT

Fresh from the People's National Movement (PNM) victory at the polls in 2007, Rev Juliana Pena, spiritual adviser to former prime minister Patrick Manning, was booked into a secluded University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) guest house tucked away up a narrow country lane in the Heights of Aripo for ten months.

Expense reports obtained by the Sunday Express reveal that the self-described prophetess was booked into the private UTT-leased guest house acquired for visiting professors and other university staff on December 13, 2007—weeks after the Manning-led PNM was returned to power.

Pena and her young companion, Anastacia Mendes, stayed at the quiet Aripo guest house, with panoramic views of the mountains, until October 31, 2008, according to UTT documents seen by this newspaper. The name of the university's former chairman of Board of Governors and President, Prof Kenneth S Julien, appears on a March 2008 catering invoice as the "client" for Rev Pena and Mendes.

Another invoice, dated November 4, 2008 describes the two non-university residents as guests of the "Office of the President".

Julien, a close friend of the former prime minister, was said to be out of the country and unavailable for comment.

There are conflicting reports about who paid for the reverend's stay at the sprawling Aripo getaway, which is not open to the public.

Pena's ten-month stay at what is reported to be a heavily-subsidised staff rate, according to UTT documents, was $119,627.36. The invoices were settled via three payments, the first via a banker's draft for $37,942.36 in July of 2008, the second via a US cash payment of US$13,000 and the third via a US cash payment of US$175.

The last two US cash payments were made in May and June of this year following media enquiries about the Rev Pena's stay at the private university-leased facility. The US$13,000 cash payment was made shortly before the May 24 election—on May 17, 2010—and the US$175 was paid in June of this year, after the PNM lost to the People's Partnership Government.

One university source insisted that Pena picked up her tab but other UTT insiders said it was paid by unknown third parties. No receipt was issued for the two US cash payments made this year and there is also no explanation as to why UTT executives used an exchange rate of TT$6.20 as opposed to the market rate of $6.30.

There is also no explanation for why Pena was given the sharply discounted staff rate given the fact that she was not an employee of the State-funded Julien-run university or a visiting professor.

The Sunday Express was told Prof Julien personally approved the hospitality arrangements for the former prime minister's spiritual adviser who is said to have been partial to wild meat.

The sweetheart discount rate arrangement is said to have cost UTT in excess of $100,000. The UTT-leased resort facility, according to university sources, remained empty for all of 2007 because of security issues related to its remote location and was only opened up and fully staffed in December of that year to accommodate Rev Pena and her companion, Mendes.

University insiders report that there were other questionable transactions relating to the Aripo guest house other than Pena's stay there at taxpayers' expense. Questions have been raised about the five-year lease arrangement signed with Consolidated Services Ltd, the private company of attorney Bruce Procope. The Queen's Counsel Happy Valley Lodge, set amid idyllic and scenic Aripo surroundings, was leased by UTT in February 2006 at a total cost of $8,420,000 at $50,000 per month.

The Sunday Express was told that the university failed to conduct a due diligence on the Aripo property prior to signing its lease agreement with the Temple Chambers' QC Procope.

Sources said the university discovered in November 2006 that Consolidated Services 25-year lease with the State had expired in May 1994. Consolidated had continued to occupy the property, paying the original 1969 rent and in 2006 sub-leased a small portion of the 115-acre property to UTT in breach of its lease agreement with the State, according to sources.

Procope was not immediately available for comment.

Recent reports suggest that Pena has spirited away amid controversy and an Integrity Commission probe as to whether there were improper links between the construction of her $30 million Heights of Guanapo church project and former prime minister Manning.

Questions remain unanswered about the circumstances surrounding the four-acre land grant to Pena by the Manning cabinet; the involvement of Shanghai Construction, a Chinese company that had previously worked exclusively for the government, and just who was footing the $30 million construction tab for the Guanapo Church of the Lighthouse of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

[hustla_ambition101]

http://guardian.co.tt/news/general/2010 ... -utt-staff

Govt probe unearths...
Kickbacks for UTT staff
SHALIZA HASSANALI
Published: 12 Dec 2010
A legal and financial audit into the University of T&T (UTT) has unearthed millions of taxpayers’ dollars being spent on contractors and suppliers, some of whom were never awarded contracts. In addition to payments going to contractors and suppliers without any supporting documents, the probe also revealed there was widespread favouring of certain contractors, with allegations of kickbacks being offered to UTT staff. Interestingly, the experts noted the procuring of awards of contracts to suppliers/contractors in which UTT’s management or staff had an interest, or in which their relatives had an interest.
Also one of ten Bosendorfer pianos purchased by the University of T&T (UTT) totalling US$850,677 (TT$5m) delivered to the Prime Minister’s residence without the university’s knowledge is also being investigated. The piano, which was delivered to the PM’s residence, occupied at the time by former prime minister, Patrick Manning, was just one of several improprieties in financial transactions and procurement unearthed by legal and financial experts, following a probe into the affairs of UTT six months ago. Checks on the Internet showed that prices of Bosendorfer pianos ranged from US$45,000 to US$179,500. The improprieties allegedly revealed that millions of taxpayers’ dollars were spent with no proper supporting documents to verify payments.
Among some of the improprieties the investigative team uncovered were:
• Payments to suppliers/contractors without supporting contracts and inadequate documentation.
• Also, making payments in respect of cost overruns and claims by contractors without proper documentary support were unearthed.
• The team also found out that signed and authorised payments were made to consultants and musicians based abroad, with no requirement for them to complete time sheets, and no other available evidence of the work performed.
Queries were also raised about a number of individuals being paid as employees at UTT despite either not performing any work, or also being paid by another company or of having left UTT. The audit, ordered by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and mandated by Cabinet, has since led to the suspension of UTT’s vice president finance, administration and procurement Lennard Prescod and Dave Bhajan, vice president of capital projects and institutional planning on December 7. Both were suspended from duty on full pay with all allowances until January 31, 2011, pending the determination of the investigation. The suspension letters were written by chairman of the UTT board Prof Kenneth Ramchand. The investigation, a UTT source explained, has identified serious allegations about the manner in which certain officials conducted their responsibilities. These allegations, if proven, would amount to gross negligence, incompetence, misconduct and dereliction of duty on Bhajan and Prescod’s part, the UTT source explained. Upon completion of the investigation Prescod and Bhajan would be apprised of all allegations against them and given an opportunity to respond and clarify any concerns.
UTT board promises to act fairly
The source noted that the UTT board is cognisant of its duty to act fairly towards Bhajan and Prescod in a manner reflective of good industrial relations practice. Based on the seriousness of the allegations made against Bhajan and Prescod, the board noted that the ongoing investigations should continue in an unimpeded, objective and expeditious manner, noting that this was of paramount importance to UTT.
AG: Probe expected to conclude by March, 2011
Ramlogan, who received a copy of the probe last week, refused to comment about the suspension, stating that the investigations were ongoing. “I would not wish to prejudice those investigations at this stage,” was his response when contacted by the Sunday Guardian. Ramlogan said he expected the ongoing investigation to be concluded by the end of March, 2011. Asked if he expects more suspensions to come out of the probe, Ramlogan responded: “I don’t know. It depends on what the experts find.”
Unearthing impropriety
The probe suppliers/contractors were engaged without a contract, and that some contractors were permitted to start prior to the signing of contracts. The experts also noted the sourcing of supplies, sometimes at higher prices offered by competitors, without adequate documentary support. Main contractors engaged sub contractors who were not subjected to UTT’s tendering processes, although they were paid by UTT. Messages left on Ramchand’s cellphone were not returned. Contacted yesterday, Bhajan refused to comment.

UML yuh miss one, uncle dave mustbe sweating, PG is the next man to go

[UML]

104 SporTT employees sent home
By Renuka Singh

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/104 ... 46634.html

Story Created: Jan 8, 2011 at 10:47 PM ECT

Story Updated: Jan 8, 2011 at 10:47 PM ECT

Over 100 employees of the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago were summarily suspended on Friday as an audit of the "messy" financial documents discovered a $90 million discrepancy and a further $700 million "squandered" between the years 2004 and 2010, Sports Minister Anil Roberts confirmed yesterday.

And while several employees blamed anti-PNM sentiment for the dismissals, both Roberts and SporTT chairman Rhett Chee Ping yesterday denied all allegations of "political cleansing".

Roberts said the clean-up effort became necessary after the findings of a $90 million discrepancy and a further $700 million "squandered" between 2004 and 2010.

Roberts said while the $700 million amounted to budget allocations over a six-year period, auditors are yet to find the missing $90 million.

"We have $90 million disappeared somewhere," Roberts said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Roberts said the suspension and subsequent rehiring of several employees between this weekend and Monday were expected to plug the relentless financial haemorrhage within the organisation.

He said when he took office in June 2010, the auditors were called in to review the organisation and found that SporTT has not been audited since 2004. He said the process was now long and tiresome as auditors have to organise six years worth of paperwork.

"What was supposed to be a two to three-week job, now taking them over five months and it still going on," he said.

Despite the lack of audited financials, Roberts said the organisation still received over $100 million in annual budget allocations. Describing the organisation as a "bastion of wastage", he said the lack of audit documents made it impossible for the company to access the line of credit set up by the Government to pay contractors.

"The board is unable to draw on the funds because without updated financials the bank cannot give them access to the money. So the contractors who worked day and night to get the stadia ready cannot get paid yet," he said.

Chee Ping met with some 104 staff members at the Hasely Crawford Stadium at 2.45 p.m. on Friday and told them to go home and wait for notification on their job status.Though several workers baulked at the way the suspensions were meted out, Chee Ping defended his method.

"There really is no nice way to retrench people, but is not political. I don't play politics," Chee Ping said in a telephone interview yesterday.

He said after a meeting with the Central Audit Committee, he was informed that the organisation was "too top-heavy and bloated" and needed to be trimmed.

One employee, speaking with the Sunday Express under the condition of anonymity, said by 9.20 a.m. yesterday, he received a letter informing him of his redundancy.

"The letter states that I would be paid one month's salary in lieu of one month's notice and it said I would get my month's salary in seven days time and any outstanding money for overtime and vacation in 14 days time," he said.

"At the meeting we were told that the company was going to be restructured and with restructuring comes a loss of jobs and apparently we just have to deal with it," he said.

He said though the staff had questions, they were told that management would have to speak with "the Minister" before they could get answers.

"We asked about company issues like gratuity and overtime and they have to ask the Minister about that? Something not right with the way this was handled," he said.

"Some of us are wondering if it is a political clean-up, since senior staff are being fired but they keeping the junior staff," he said.

He said it was unfair and demoralising to be treated in such a manner. He said employees were being asked to wait through a tense weekend to learn whether they had a job or not.

Roberts did not comment on the way the situation was handled, but said while he had "absolutely nothing to do with the process", he commended the board's actions.

"I find the board take long to act. They were supposed to be doing this since June," he said.

Under the former sport minister Gary Hunt, SporTT was plagued with allegations of bad spending, including the infamous $2 million flag at the Stadium in Port of Spain, the over-budget and yet unfinished Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba and millions spent to ready stadia for the Caribbean Games.

[UML]

WHERE'S THE GRAND PIANO?
AG calls on Manning to answer: ...It's not at the PM's residence or Diplomatic Centre
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/WHE ... 31284.html

Story Created: Jan 12, 2011 at 11:55 PM ECT

Story Updated: Jan 12, 2011 at 11:55 PM ECT

Where the piano gone?

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan yesterday asked former prime minister Patrick Manning this question, saying that an expensive Bosendorfer piano cannot be found at the Prime Minister's official residence or Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's.

Speaking on a motion to amend the Anti-Corruption Act, Ramlogan disclosed that close to US$1 million (US$850,677 after a 33 per cent discount) was spent to purchase ten Bosendorfer pianos from Las Vegas, one of which is now missing.

Stressing on the corruption that took place under Ken Julien at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), Ramlogan said that Julien, in 2008, brokered a deal with the president of Bosendorfer to supply ten pianos.

"Bosendorfer pianos, Mr Speaker, for those of us who are accustomed to the steelpan and the dholak and the majeera and the rhythm section... the Bosendorfer piano is the Rolls Royce of pianos in the world," Ramlogan said.

One piano, he said, called "the Strauss", was listed for US$114,215 and was delivered to the official Prime Minister's residence.

"I respect the member for San Fernando East, but I didn't realise that he was so multi-talented that he needed a piano in his house," said Ramlogan, as Government Minister Jack Warner quipped, "He (Manning) can't even play in the rain!"

An Opposition MP asked, "What is wrong with a piano?" Ramlogan shot back, "Nothing is wrong with a piano, but the day you could play a good chutney or calypso on it, come back and talk to me."

Manning sat quietly in his chair during the statement and subsequent cross-talk.

Ramlogan said: "I have asked Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to search those premises to locate this grand piano, because all we know about is a lil Bob Marley music and a lil kaiso and calypso and chutney, that's all we listen to. But this grand piano, I want to ask the member for San Fernando East, sir, if you know where that piano is in the Diplomatic Centre and your former residence, can you please assist us?"

He added, "I don't know if it's behind the chapel, is it behind the gym? Tell me, sir, I don't know where it is. If you can tell us where it is housed, it will be very very helpful to us, sir. Lord Kitch used to sing where the money gone, today we have to ask where the piano gone."

The other pianos, he said, were placed at the residence of UTT Prof Mittens, the UTT Maritime campus, Pt Lisas campus, San Fernando campus and the O'Meara campus.

Ramlogan said three were transferred to the National Academy for the Performing Arts and two still remain in packages. "We considered this to be a most shameful and disgraceful wastage of public funds," he said.

Ramlogan also disclosed that UTT, according to the interim report of an investigation into that institution, was rife with corrupt practices under Julien.

He read from the report and outlined several corrupt practices that took place—in particular, the leasing of a guest house in Aripo at $50,000 a month, which Manning's spiritual adviser, Rev Juliana Pena, had stayed in for a year.

Ramlogan said the company from which the guest house was leased—Consolidated Services Ltd—did not even have the legal title for the place.

"Technically speaking, UTT may be very well trespassing on that property and paying $50,000 to so do," he said.

He added that in addition to this, some $5 million was spent fixing the guest house and in total $14.4 million was spent on leasing and repairs.

Ramlogan also noted that professors at UTT were paid huge salaries. He said a tailor from London, who hardly spent time in Trinidad, was paid $116,912 and when his contract ended he collected a "bonus" of $240,000. He added that Julien's contract gave him all kinds of luxuries, including $37,000 for landscaping services and US$30,000 in medical expenses.

[RASC]

Anand...

Where Calder Hart
Where Pena
Where Manning
Where Ish and Steve

Yuh dumb fat baldingcnut could look for fricking piano, yet the more pressing issues of the country go unattended to. Again yuh opening yuh mouth and nothing significant is coming out. Stamp out the REAL corruption then we could talk about which piano missing. Stueps...Waste of fricking time this man is.

[pugboy]

it sure looks like ish/steve gonna get off the hook the way things panning out

Anand's strategy of signing of the extradition order on a US holiday is working out quite well for them, hopefully the privy council at least will not make taxpayers bear their total legal costs

[eliteauto]

http://www.newsday.co.tt/sunday_special ... 34168.html

[DF1_2nR]

Think this belongs in here:

Party boys blanked
After Gypsy's failure to get URP jobs for party supporters, Indarsingh moved to Labour Ministry to help McLeod
By by Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created: Jan 17, 2011 at 11:46 PM ECT

Story Updated: Jan 17, 2011 at 11:46 PM ECT

Contention and dissatisfaction over the failure to get party supporters jobs under the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) pushed Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to move Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh to the Labour Ministry.

Government sources told the Express that two weeks ago, at a Cabinet/Parliamentary arm meeting at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, Winston "Gypsy" Peters expressed concern that he was unable to get supporters in his Mayaro constituency employment under the URP programme.

Peters, according to a source, vented his frustration and his decision to speak out on the issue was supported with desk thumping from several of his colleagues who were also facing the same problem.

In a telephone interview with the Express yesterday, Peters confirmed that he did raise the matter at the meeting.

Questioned on whether he was satisfied that on the heels of his concerns, the Prime Minister moved Indarsingh, who was a Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport, until Friday, to lend assistance to line Minister Errol McLeod in the Labour Ministry which has the responsibility for URP, Peters said: "I feel very satisfied and I believe that we are going to do the right thing and put everything in order."

Peters said the URP programme has always been clouded with politics, "...let me tell you something, the URP is there as a political thing to help people, when one Government comes in most of their supporters work there, that's how it works and nobody can hide that, that's what it is, and what was happening is that all the (People's National Movement) PNM people were there as though it's a permanent job and they were frustrating all the other people who were not getting in there."
Peters said the URP is supposed to be a form of temporary employment where all the people of this country who are in need of employment can benefit.

"It (URP) is supposed to be balanced because you can't do that, this thing belongs to all of us and we have to make sure that everybody gets a piece of the pie at least," said Peters.

Asked if it had reached a critical point in his constituency where none of his recommendations were accepted, he said: "Yes, it was critical, especially people in the office they were very rude to me and all of that...I went in there one day...and there were at least two of them very obstinate and rude, so yes it was causing some kind of trouble."

Questioned if other Cabinet Ministers and MPs faced the same challenges, he said "everybody basically was expressing a certain kind of concern about that...it's a bone of contention because we are in Government for eight months, I am a Member of Parliament, a Minister of Parliament and I cannot get some people employed?".

The Express understands that no blame was pointed at McLeod directly, but at the administration of the programme and persons who were shutting down requests and recommendations from various Ministers to have people employed.

Peters confirmed that a lot of "foolish people" in the administrative arm were suppressing the requests made.

He said the URP programme needs revamping.

In November last year, both the Programme Manager and Deputy Programme Manager of the URP were sent home, one on suspension and the other terminated. There have also been pockets of protests in constituencies held by the Government MPs about the lack of jobs for party supporters over the last few months.

"URP can play a very important role if managed properly and the people are actually put to work and not have this give me hand out thing. I'm totally against that," said Peters.

Indarsingh officially took up duties yesterday at the Ministry of Labour.

In a telephone interview with the Express yesterday, he said that he had a series of meetings and was introduced to the staff by McLeod.

Asked if he was aware of the complaints and concerns with respect to the URP programme, he said, "I have been hearing a lot of people on the ground saying they want to see the programme revamped and improved."

He said he always had an excellent relationship with McLeod as they are both come from the trade union movement and have known each other for over 20 years.

Indarsingh said he was "very comfortable" at that Ministry and will be looking at all programmes and policies, including URP.

Contacted yesterday for comment, McLeod reserved comment for another time.

So on one hand you proclaim that the government is corrupt and is using state agancies to curry favour with supporters, but then you get elected and turn around and try to do the same thing? And have the gall to complain about it in the media when you not getting your way?

Where is the change here?

WTF man

PNM/PP, Same sheit different day.

[UML]

CEPEP contractors owing NIS big $$, says Roodal
By Julien Neaves
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/CEP ... 40093.html

Story Created: Mar 11, 2011 at 11:51 PM ECT

Story Updated: Mar 11, 2011 at 11:51 PM ECT

SOME contractors with the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (Cepep) owe as much as $500,000 to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Housing and Environment Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said yesterday.

He said a "comprehensive review" of Cepep was currently under way and there were "cases where the only place to go is the Fraud Squad of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service".

Speaking in Parliament yesterday during debate on a bill to amend the Statutory Authorities Act at the Red House, Port of Spain, Moonilal said there were individuals "calling themselves contractors" receiving as much as $235,000 per month, who do not have the workforce in place and are not paying NIS.

He recalled the ministry had to take action, including in one case in the Diego Martin constituency where a contractor had been hiring "everyone working for him already in an industrial establishment". That contractor was dismissed, he said.

Responding to repeated Opposition calls to quickly settle negotiations with the Public Services Association, he said it was "no secret" that public officers were waging a campaign and it was their "right". He noted that while the Opposition kept saying the population was dissatisfied and unhappy, outside of industrial relations there was no conflict in society.

"You don't look at the news," Diego Martin Central MP Dr Amery Browne rejoined.

Moonilal said members of the new Government were "appalled" at the state of industrial relations, with some unions waiting for years for the previous administration to come to the table and make an offer. He added that the Opposition had apparently lacked the "courage" and "political will".

Moonilal also reported that in the last eight months, more than half a billion of outstanding monies have been paid to local contractors. He noted that several ministries, including his, have met with contractors and many have been receiving "some type of payments".

He added that they have not received all and "some may not be happy with what they have received".

These outstanding sums, Moonilal said, were inherited from the previous administration, and this was one of the problems Diego Martin West MP, Dr Keith Rowley, and former prime minister and San Fernando East MP, Patrick Manning, left for the new Government.

Foster Cummings mum on CEPEP/NIB money matter
By Ria Taitt Political Editor
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Fos ... 58874.html

Story Created: Mar 15, 2011 at 11:55 PM ECT

Story Updated: Mar 15, 2011 at 11:55 PM ECT

Candidate for the post of general secretary of the People's National Movement Foster Cummings on Monday refused comment on reports that he was among the names of CEPEP contractors who owe money to the National Insurance Board.

Last Friday Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal said the Government was looking into a number of CEPEP contractors who owed substantial sums in NIS.

When Cummings was questioned about this, he replied that he was not in a position to make any statement on this matter because the issue to which Moonilal was referring was currently the subject of a court matter.

"So I don't want to comment on that," he said.

Cummings is up against Ashton Ford for the position of general secretary.

[pugboy]

whats the latest with Calder Hart & Manning ?

[UML]

'CAL paid millions without contracts in place'
By Renuka Singh
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/_CA ... 80814.html

Story Created: Mar 23, 2011 at 12:06 AM ECT

Story Updated: Mar 23, 2011 at 12:06 AM ECT

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) paid millions of dollars to sub-contractors without the benefit of documented contracts, the airline's deputy chief financial officer, Andre Mills, said yesterday. However, Mills promised to revisit with external auditors KPMG to ascertain just how many contractors received payments without possessing contracts.

The questions over the lack of documentation arose at the Public Accounts Enterprises Committee (PAEC) meeting at the Red House in Port of Spain. The PAEC discourse covered the CAL financial documents over the period 2007-2008.

Several members of the committee, including Member of Parliament Rudy Indarsingh, Labour Minister Errol McLeod and Minister in the Ministry of National Security Subhas Panday, all questioned the lack of proper documentation in various ways several times, although CAL's management team said they would return to the auditors for more information.

"There were no checks and balances on millions of dollars. Several institutions received payments with no formal documents to support payments... that is risky," Panday said.

PAEC chairman and People's National Movement (PNM) Senator Fitzgerald Hinds came to CAL's defence several times, reminding committee members that the question about the payments was already asked and answered.

"They already said they would seek out the information. Mr Mills said he had a problem with the report response too and would look into it," Hinds said.

Mills said he supported Panday's comments and said the issue of undocumented contracts has already been revisited by the airline's financial team.

"Now we have a policy that we must see the contracts before any payment can be issued. So that issue has already been corrected," he said.

Indarsingh also questioned how the company's staff numbers dropped by 30 employees between the years 2007 and 2008, yet its national insurance and health surcharge figure was almost doubled over the same period.

"In 2007, the employee figure was 984, but by December 2008 that figure dropped to 954 yet for that same period NIS and Health Surcharge went from $3,199,000 to $6,206,000," he said.

Robert Corbie, CAL's acting chief executive officer, said he had to double-check those figures to confirm the employee count.

"We had the (Trinidad-to-) London service up to a point and then stopped. In 2008 we operated more flights, we started the Caracas and Fort Lauderdale routes, so I have to double-check those employee numbers," he said.

Committee member Colm Imbert said he thought members were making an "issue out of nothing".

"I think the no-contract payments were being blown out of proportion. Remember CAL purchased 100 per cent of Tobago Express and operated that subsidiary out of their offices. They absorbed the company and made payments through CAL," he said.

Imbert said CAL had one month to return with the answers to the questions raised a the PAEC, but he expected them to return within one week.

[pugboy]

Kamla say AG gonna investigate the sale of the Heathrow slots
look like another lets launch investigation with AG and then months later it is in hands of DPP or police

[rollingstock]

Kamla say AG gonna investigate the sale of the Heathrow slots
look like another lets launch investigation with AG and then months later it is in hands of DPP or police

That's their function not the AG's.

[silvyrsurfyr]

but wait! how dis thread one sided so? mention missing piano, but not its recovery. mention S.I.A, NO Reshmi........

this thread in itself corrupted!!!

[RASC]

but wait! how dis thread one sided so? mention missing piano, but not its recovery. mention S.I.A, NO Reshmi........

this thread in itself corrupted!!!

Check the creator ...this thread was a farse from the get go.
UML as usual trying to save face.

[pugboy]

somebody a while back claimed Harry Persad did not have political connections
they should find out who his brother is