Joint Select Committee (JSC) member Wade Mark says the People’s National Movement Government had taken a decision to terminate the contract of the Super Fast Galicia since December 2015.
He made the disclosure during yesterday’s JSC meeting chaired by Stephen Creese at the J Hamilton Maurice Room, Tower D, Port-of-Spain.
Mark said on December 16, 2015, the Government, through a letter written by Pamela Ford, took the decision to terminate the Galicia contract.
"So it is nothing about ransom," he insisted.
He said this decision was taken days after the Port Authority of T&T had appointed a new board, who in turn "instruct the ministry” to take measures "to end and terminate" the Galicia’s contract.
“So when they are looking for the real root of the crisis, I am saying the blame has to go all around.”
Mark said what was strange was days after the 2015 general election, Bridgemans Services LP, a virtually unknown company, was established.
He also queried from the Ministry of Works and Transport's acting permanent secretary Sonia Francis-Yearwood, if her ministry had executed a note which had been submitted to Cabinet for an 18-month extension of the Galicia.
“Did the ministry prepare a Cabinet note on this matter at the time of this unanimous agreement, including the Minister of Works and Transport?” Mark queried.
Francis-Yearwood said the ministry had no record of a Cabinet note being submitted for an 18-month charter. She said if a note was prepared, submitted and withdrawn, the ministry would have it on file.
“So you are telling me that the team that is here, headed by you, have no recollection of a Cabinet note being generated by the ministry to execute an agreement that was unanimously agreed upon by the board and management of the Port Authority, by the permanent secretary and the minister? So there is no recollection of a note being prepared?" Mark asked.
Mark said the ministry “was guilty of dereliction of duty and failed to generate a Cabinet note” for the vessel's extension.
Instead, Mark said the ministry stalled and refused to do anything.
“So if that is not dereliction of duty, then the ministry and its officers must take full responsibility for the crisis that has taken place in Tobago. Because my information is that the Cabinet note was generated. It was taken to the Cabinet by the minister and it was rejected by Cabinet," Mark said.
Mark said having invited Prime Minster Dr Keith Rowley to the JSC “he would have to do a lot of answering.”
He said what happened with the sea bridge was a manufactured crisis, which could have been avoided.
“I would tell you that when the Prime Minister is invited here, he would have to account for this debacle that took place that affected the people of T&T.”
Mark said a stench was now emanating.