Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Eli Zakour has raised alarm over allegations of gross mismanagement, corruption, and improper procurement at the Vehicle Management Corporation (VMCOTT), even accusing a former chairman of using State resources to sell pies for his sister’s business.
Speaking during Monday night’s Senate debate on the Finance (Supplementary Appropriation) (Financial Year 2025) Bill, Zakour cited a letter dated April 10 2023, addressed to former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley and copied to several senior officials, including former Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, Permanent Secretary Sonya Francis-Yearwood, former police commissioner Earla Harewood-Christopher, and DPP Roger Gaspard. The letter called for urgent intervention and an independent audit into VMCOTT.
Zakour said the report outlined corruption, nepotism, misappropriation of State funds and multiple procurement breaches.
It alleged that the VMCOTT CEO and chairman spent thousands at PriceSmart on alcohol, while the chairman’s sister became the sole supplier of food for all company events, without a three-quote system in place.
"The chairman has been peddling pies and lunches for his sister's business. So he is delivering pies and lunches with a State-owned vehicle, PCU 3, using it as a courier service. This letter, let me remind you, was sent to the Prime Minister at the time of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago."
The letter also claims that the CEO paid $20,000 to the TTPS to cover child maintenance for a friend, and that during the COVID-19 lockdown, she hosted a party to celebrate the awarding of contracts to associates. Despite virtual board meetings, VMCOTT allegedly spent thousands on monthly catering, which was delivered to and removed from the compound.
Zakour said the Government was asked to investigate claims that the chairman lived at the VMCOTT compound, allegedly storing personal belongings in a designated room.
He outlined further financial mismanagement: unpaid VAT, millions owed to NIB, BIR, WASA, T&TEC and other creditors, and a $500,000 vehicle request by the CEO despite the company’s financial strain. He also noted an $80,000 vehicle repair for a friend of an executive, for which VMCOTT never recouped the funds.
In another case, the TTPS allegedly overpaid VMCOTT by $17 million, which the company could not account for. Zakour said $4 million worth of unused parts were never liquidated—instead, $50,000 was spent on storage containers to house them.
"Mr Speaker, the list goes on and on regarding the corruption I have seen in VMCOTT."
Zakour added that VMCOTT is responsible for certifying private garages used by the TTPS, yet 18 garages approved in 2022 were never formally certified. Still, police vehicles were sent to these garages without proper oversight.
"I'll give you one example. One particular garage charged $20,000 for a service which would have only cost $7,000 at VMCOTT. In the last decade, $368 million was spent maintaining police vehicles. I am sure, based on what I have in front of me, tens of millions of dollars have been wasted in the last decade."
Responding to earlier questions from Independent Senator Dr Desiree Murray on how the Government would fund new initiatives, Zakour said eliminating corruption was the first step.