Australia’s Attorney General’s Division has advised United National Congress activist Devant Maharaj to take his call for probe into the T&T Government’s procurement of Australian vessels to the Aussie police as that country’s AG division doesn’t do such probes.
National Security Minister Stuart Young has meanwhile warned about Maharaj wasting police’s time. Young made the point after Maharaj issued a November 12 letter from the Australian AG’s Office which he received following his August letter to Australia AG Christian Porter, seeking probe of Government’s procurement of vessels from Australia’s INCAT and Austal companies.
The letter to Porter detailed background from the start in May when Prime Minister Dr Keithy Rowley met the Australian shipbuilders. It was later announced Government intended to purchase two new ferry vessels and at least one naval patrol vessel. Maharaj also detailed subsequent developments.
Maharaj claimed that “without the Cabinet announcing that a decision had been made or the specifications of the vessels being agreed to,” Austal’s website announced Government’s plans to purchase two Austal Cape Class Patrol Boats “in a deal valued by Austal at approximately $100 million.”
Maharaj raised questions on the procurement process, why tenders weren’t invited internationally and the “legal basis” for the PM to decide on the situation while visiting another country.
Maharaj told Porter that he “...firmly believed this matter warrants the attention of the Office of the Attorney General of Australia and invocation of (that office’s) investigative function. It has to be asked if the people of Australia would similarly accept if the Prime Minister of Australia on visiting a foreign country make a similar purchase without any procurement process being applied?”
In their November 12 reply, acting assistant secretary of the Australian AG’s Integrity branch, Linda Atkinson, said Maharaj’s correspondence raised several “concerns of unethical procurement process and potential criminal conduct.”
However, she said, “While the department is responsible for integrity policy at Commonwealth level, it does not have an investigatory role or the ability to assess whether offences have been committed. Investigation of alleged crime is a matter for the policing authorities.
“Accordingly, we have referred this matter to the Australian Federal Police for their consideration. If you have any further evidence regarding the matter, you should provide it to the AFP. You can visit the AFP’s Report a Crime page (address given), which has details on how to report a crime in Australia.”
Atkinson said the decision on investigating an alleged offence is in police’s discretion and it wouldn’t be appropriate for the AG’s office to intervene in such decisions,
Responding to this, Young said, “This venture by this member of the opposition of writing to the Attorney General of Australia is yet another desperate attempt by the Opposition to distract the nation. The Prime Minister’s working trip to Australia was as a result of a discussion that he had with the Prime Minister of Australia at the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in April, 2018.
“The Australian government had representatives with the T&T delegation at all times when we held meetings in Australia with INCAT and Austal. In fact, the meetings were set up and facilitated by the Australian government and included a meeting with the Australian EFIC for financing.
“Both companies then put in proposals and made presentations to a Cabinet-appointed team chaired by me, which included private sector and experts. This team made recommendations to Cabinet and then another team including international lawyers and maritime experts met and negotiated with INCAT and Austal.”
He added, “The Opposition and its spokesperson are making fools of themselves and potentially embarrassing T&T. I hope Australian laws include a criminal charge akin to wasting police time and that they utilise it with respect to the complainant.”