PM: I’m awaiting legal advice on plane deal

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar again remained mum on the issue of the contracting arrangements for the light aircraft, saying she was awaiting legal advice. In a telephone interview yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said she got a copy of the report submitted to her by National Security Minister John Sandy and that report was now in the hands of  Attorney General Anand Ramlogan. “I got the report from Minister Sandy and I have sent the report to the Attorney General and I cannot comment on it until I receive legal advice on the matter,” Persad-Bissessar added. Asked if she was satisfied with the explanation given by Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs that he acted above board when he decided to contract the plane to conduct surveillance work, the Prime Minister said she did not hear Gibbs’ comments. The top cop returned to T&T on Friday, after attending a law enforcement conference in the United Kingdom.

Questioned whether she was satisfied with those statements made by Deputy Police Commissioner Jack Ewatski that he, too, did no wrong, Persad-Bissessar maintained that she could not comment until the report was thoroughly probed. Last week, Sandy said he did not believe Gibbs acted in an “underhand manner,” but expressed concern that Gibbs was ill-advised when he decided to spend $902,772 to lease the plane for a three-month pilot project. Two Fridays ago in Parliament, Opposition MP Donna Cox read a letter written in September last year by Gibbs, in which he stated the National Security Ministry had awarded a $902,772 contract to a Tacarigua firm for 720 hours of use of the Zenith aircraft for a three-month evaluation. However, managing director of Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Company Ltd, Dirk Barnes said he had documents, which he sent to the Civil Aviation Authority, proving his Zenith CH 750 Air Scout aircraft came into T&T this month.
He further claimed he knew nothing about the aircraft referred to in emails written last July and revealed in Parliament last Friday.