The fifth evidence hearing of the Las Alturas commission of enquiry got underway yesterday with chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott), Noel Garcia, being ordered to give evidence next month.
Garcia, who recently returned to T&T and was installed as the Udecott head, turned up at the Caribbean Court of Justice, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, accompanied by his attorney Colin Kangaloo.
His appearance sent a quiet stir among those gathered as several attempts had previously been made to have Garcia appear before the commission.
Two summons were issued in June and July last year for Garcia, who was at the time living and working in Ghana.
This, even after the lead attorney for the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Queen’s Counsel Vincent Nelson, had informed the commission that Garcia had declined to submit a witness statement when contacted.
Garcia was a former managing director at the HDC.
Minutes after Kangaloo’s submissions, commission chairman, retired Justice Mustapha Ibrahim, granted an extension for Garcia’s witness statement to be filed on or before January 29, with Garcia being ordered to attend court to give evidence and be cross-examined on February 15.
Among the other procedural matters addressed yesterday was the filing of a witness statement by a former expert witness for the HDC, Frank Arland.
HDC’s attorney Larry Lalla informed the commission that the geotechnical engineer from the US would be recalled to respond to parts of the testimony by Martin Andrews of Geotech Associates Limited (GA).
At the close of the fourth evidence session last year, Andrews was on the stand.
He is expected to be recalled to continue his testimony today, while Arland’s response will be done via video link.
Objecting to Arland’s supplemental witness statement being submitted, Andrews attorney Justin Phelps argued that Arland had already been cross-examined.
Requesting the commission to refuse and even resist the application by Lalla, Phelps described it as “extraordinary” that a witness could be cross-examined and allowed to “wash his mouth” on GA and now be allowed another opportunity to question the evidence of Andrews.
Ibrahim later agreed to grant Phelps leave to cross-examine Arland on the supplemental witness statement.
The enquiry continues today.