From 2017 to 2022 there were ten cases in which judgment was granted against the Attorney General in default of filing a defence, as well as two cases in which judgment was granted in default of an appearance.
Damages to claimants in nine of the ten cases was $955,269.37, while damages to claimants in the two other cases was $910,000.
This was stated in a written reply by Attorney General Reginald Armour to an Opposition question.
Armour was asked to provide the following information for each year during the period 2017 to 2022:
(i) The number of cases in which judgment was granted against the AG in default of filing a defence;
(ii) The number of cases in which judgment was granted against the AG in default of an appearance; and
(iii) The total sum paid in damages in cases where claimants obtained judgment in default of the AG filing a defence or appearing.
The written reply stated that based on responses from 22 attorneys in the Solicitor General’s Department, the acting Solicitor General advised that:
(i) The number of cases in which judgment was granted against the AG in default of filing a defence for the period 2017 to 2022 amounts to ten.
(ii) The number of cases in which judgment was granted against the AG in default of an appearance for the period 2017 to 2022 was two.
(iii) The approximate sum paid in damages in nine of the cases where claimants obtained judgment in default of the AG filing a defence amounts to $955,269.37 and the approximate sum paid in damages in the two cases where claimants obtained judgment in default of the AG filing an appearance amounts to $910,000.00.
The tenth matter is scheduled for assessment before a Master today.
Also in the Senate, Armour replied to Opposition Senator Wade Mark’s question about the total amount of legal fees paid to the attorneys who advised NIDCO to terminate the contract with Brazilian construction company Construtora OAS SA.
Armour said his Ministry did not retain the attorneys on record for that matter to represent NIDCO’s interest.
“Consequently the Ministry has no record of any invoices being submitted by NIDCO’s attorneys for this matter. I can confirm the Ministry has not paid any legal fees to the attorneys on record for this matter,” he said.
Armour said it’s a matter of public record that based on the advice of its attorneys, NIDCO has to date recovered $922 million of taxpayers’ money in the OAS matter and has been successful in court in maintaining possession of those funds.
“Any legal fees paid to its attorneys in respect of this matter therefore would be a small fraction of the amount recovered,” he said.
“In any event the fees paid to other attorneys who advised NIDCO on various matters may arguably become the subject of comment and/or recommendations by the commissioners in the Commission of Enquiry established to examine and inquire into all aspects of the land acquisition process by NIDCO for construction of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin and as such it is inappropriate for me to inquire after and/or to comment on this subject at this time.”