Acting Attorney General Stewart Young is assuring that if there is any culpability regarding the procurement of the Cabo Star and the Ocean Flower 2, those responsible will be brought to justice.
Young, also Minister in the Ministry of Attorney General and Legal Affairs, made the comment after speaking at a rotary luncheon in Port-of-Spain yesterday.
In a statement issued yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley appointed Christian Mouttet as the sole investigator into the circumstances surrounding the procurement of the two vessels. The announcement was made in a press release from the Office of the Prime Minister and noted that Rowley was acting on behalf of the Cabinet. Mouttet, who will be provided with support from the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, is expected to submit a report within 30 days.
Asked whether Mouttet’s appointment signalled a lack of faith in the Port Authority, especially amid calls for its chairman Alison Lewis to be fired, Young said this was not the case.
“Absolutely not. The Prime Minister and Cabinet has taken the decision to appoint a sole investigator and more will be heard about it in the days to come,” Young said.
Regarding how much was being paid to Mouttet, Young said, “at this stage there is no cost element associated with the probe and described Mouttet as one of this country’s stalwarts.
“He’s someone who is very respected and he’s someone who we see as being very independent and the Prime Minister saw him fit and he is fully supported by the Cabinet as being a good sole investigator into what he has been asked to look into,” Young stated.
Regarding possible legal action following the outcome of the investigation, the acting AG said it was too early to determine, adding he did not want to “pre-empt anything.”
Pressed about calls for the police to also launch its own investigation into the matter, Young said, “Let’s see what the investigation brings up. If the investigation brings up anything along those lines, as a Government we will send it to the police. I would expect persons to fully participate with a Cabinet-appointed investigator and if they choose not to do so then they will have a lot of questions to answer.”