Former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj says if the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government is serious about investigating the Point Fortin Highway project, it would establish a task force to start gathering evidence.
He said this task force would comprise attorneys and police officers and would be charged with taking witness statements to forward to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for prosecution.
In an interview yesterday, Maharaj said it was not sufficient to say “send it to the Integrity Commission or police.”
“That has not worked in the past. The Government must set up a task force of attorneys and police officers to take witness statements and send these to the DPP for prosecution,” Maharaj said.
His comment comes after Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, Stuart Young, called on the Integrity Commission to investigate the Solomon Hochoy Highway to Point Fortin project, which he described as a “travesty.”
On Friday, Young said the Government was also exploring all legal options regarding the highway’s main contractor Construtora OAS, since the project was now estimated to cost taxpayers in excess of $8 billion.
Young said the former government did not pursue ways and means to terminate OAS’ contract to protect the public interest, despite having the opportunity to do so.
Maharaj, who was this country’s attorney general from 1995 to 2001, said from the information presented by Young in Parliament the former government may have broken the law.
“On the face of it, there are criminal offences committed by the former government.”
He said the possible criminal offences include misconduct and corruption.
“The public cannot be satisfied with being told it is going to the Integrity Commission and police.
“That is a way of burying the whole thing.” KC
YOUNG: A PNM CABINET DID NOT APPROVE THAT
Maharaj also commented on a Nidco document which was circulated to the media.
The document showed that one day after the 2010 election, Nidco had approved Construtora OAS as a preferred choice.
According to Maharaj, this was strange.
“I can tell you as a former AG for that approval to be given there would be a process for a few days before OAS could be selected as a preferred contractor.
“It is curious, suspicious and outrageous that one day after election this was done.”
In a telephone interview yesterday, Young reiterated that prior to May 24, 2010, a tender was put out for the project.
“There would have been an evaluation where Nidco would have then said to go ahead but the PNM did not approve going ahead. That approval could have only come from Cabinet and I can tell you a PNM Cabinet did not approve that.”