Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Monday urged the media to read an April 16, 2017 T&T Guardian article written by Khamal Georges, saying it would provide answers to some of their questions involving the contract and operations of the Super Fast Galicia.
Rowley made the disclosure in response to a question posed to him during a news conference at the Magdalena Grand Beach Resort, following a meeting with Tobago stakeholders on the ferry fiasco involving the Ocean Flower 2 and Cabo Star on Monday.
In fielding questions from the media, Rowley was told by a journalist that since the Galicia’s departure from the sea bridge in April, he had indicated there was a possibility of criminal charges to come out of the award of the contract to the vessel.
Rowley denied saying that and drew to the media’s attention an April 16 T&T Guardian article written by Georges, stating that he preferred to chose his words very carefully.
“What I said was from the documents I have seen, I have good reason to believe that there would have been criminal conduct in those who carried out that Galicia contract. And I passed the matter to the Attorney General to advise me as to whether my view is supported.”
He added: “I will answer by asking you to read the article of Khamal Georges on April 16. What surprised me is the level of boldfacedness that attended the attempt to find a ferry in this year under this Government. And I say no more on that for the moment.”
The Galicia had served the T&T route since 2014, but was pulled by Trasmed after the company failed to secure a long-term lease from the Government and refused to continue on a month-to-month basis.
The lead article, headlined “Hyatt sends $1.3 million damage bill to Govt - Galicia causing quakes,” stated that the vessel had reportedly caused damage to the Hyatt Regency hotel estimated at US$200,000 (TT$1.3m).
Two letters sent by the hotel chain to UDeCOTT and the Port-of-Spain Infrastructure Company between September 2015 and May 2016 lamented the “daily disturbance and interruption” the vessel had caused. It said the “vessel shakes our hotel every time it moves, causing concern to guests as it feels like an earthquake.”
The letters were contained in a pile of documents forwarded to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, who had started conducting a probe into whether there may have been any wrong doing in the Galicia deal.
Some of the documents now in the AG’s possession, which GML got hold of, also show that the Galicia was initially deemed unsuitable for the sea bridge.