Two Port Authority of T&T (PATT) staff members have been suspended, while their computers seized for forensic analysis yesterday.
According to information reaching the T&T Guardian, the employees, including a senior official who has been at the PATT for over five years, were given word of their suspension following an impromptu marathon meeting by the PATT board on Monday.
It is alleged that instructions were given by higher authorities at the PATT to “find the source of the leak” of chief engineer Brendon Powder’s inspection of the Ocean Flower II, referring to a letter dated August 7, 2017, that was sent to the PATT’s general manager Charmaine Lewis on the issue.
“They are thinking that the senior and the other employee are responsible for leaking the document to the media, that’s why their electronic devices were seized so that forensic investigations can take place,” a PATT source said.
The source added that both employees had already sought legal advice on their suspensions.
The letter in spotlight contained crucial reasons as to why the Ocean Flower 2 may not be suitable to service the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago, following Powder’s sea trial on the vessel in Panama.
The PATT had delegated acting chief executive officer of the T&T Inter-Island Transportation Company Limited (TTIT) Leon Grant and Powder to visit Panama to inspect the Ocean Flower 2 over the period July 30 to August 6.
Powder had ruled that the Ocean Flower 2 may not have been suitable to service the sea bridge because of several mechanical issues and explosion risks identified during the sea trial he conducted. He instead recommended that the 21-year-old vessel should remain in Colon, Panama, to urgently attend to all repairs prior to it sailing to Trinidad. Powder noted that under the circumstances Grant conferred with him and it was agreed that it was untenable to have the Ocean Flower 2 sail to T&T in that condition.
President of Bridgemans Services Group, Brian Grange, witnessed the sea trial and the mechanical issues of the vessel were highlighted to him.
However, the contents of the report were not initially revealed by the port despite questions over the vessel’s suitability. Instead, it had suggested that the Ocean Flower 2’s contract be cancelled due to its inability to arrive here by the July 17 deadline date.
The contents of the inspection were disclosed to the media by Senator Gerald Ramdeen last week and only then did the PATT admit the issues highlighted ion the report also contributed to the contract cancellation.