‘Rejected’ aviation firm steers clear

Eddie Dallsingh, managing director of Navi-Comm Avionics Ltd (NAL), a company involved in the original negotiations for an aerial surveillance aircraft for the T&T Police Service, has distanced himself from the project. The surveillance aircraft came under heavy scrutiny in Parliament Friday when Opposition MP Colm Imbert read emails between Dallsingh and the director of the T&T Air Support Co Ltd (TTAS), Daniel Condon. In a release yesterday, Dallsingh confirmed the existence of emails between himself and Condon, but denied he was directly connected to TTAS. Dallsingh said the emails were about his plane and he confirmed that Deputy Police Commissioner Jack Ewatski had flown in his plane several times.

Dallsingh said, up until June 2010, NAL had been in negotiations and had made several presentations to the Ministry of National Security and the National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, Gary Griffith. In a telephone interview yesterday, Griffith confirmed that he had seen a presentation by NAL, but said he had referred it to the Minister of National Security John Sandy and the Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs. “That is where my involvement ended,” he said. Dallsingh said Condon was introduced as part of the NAL negotiating team in October of 2010. “For reasons best known to Mr Condon, he, without NAL’s knowledge began negotiating with persons unknown to myself or NAL,” he said.

Information obtained by the T&T Guardian shows that TTAS was incorporated as a company on July 14, 2011, two months before Gibbs signed a letter of intent dated September 27 and five months before the execution of the contract. “TTAS has no proven track record whatsoever in this industry and definitely was not approved by the T&T Civil Aviation Authority,” Dallsingh said. He said NAL officials learnt through the media that TTAS had entered into a contract with the Police Service to supply and maintain two CH 701 or CH 750 light sport aircraft. The release noted that a letter protesting the circumstances surrounding the execution of the contract has been sent to Gibbs.

Dallsingh said he continued his protestations and held separate meetings with Griffith, adviser to the National Security Minister Roy Augustus, and chairman of the Police Service Commission Ramesh Deosaran. Information reaching the Guardian suggests that Condon, a United States national, along with Dirk Barnes and Kevon Stafford, are listed as directors of TTAS. Information also suggests that the company is registered to Barnes’ home address, and Nicole Mohammed was named as secretary. Dallsingh is calling for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the award of the contract by the TTPS.