~ Minister calls for report, Rowley writes PSC ~
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad--National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy has asked top cop Dwayne Gibbs to provide a report on the TT$900,000 contract between the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Company for the use of a light aircraft for police surveillance, Trinidad Express reported Tuesday.
The paper also reported that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Monday no one in Government knew anything about the contract and that Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley has written to Police Service Commission chairman Prof Ramesh Deosaran calling for a probe into the conduct of top cops Dwayne Gibbs and Jack Ewatski in the award of the contract to a "fly by night" company.
Opposition Member of Parliament Donna Cox first raised the issue of the TT$900,000 contract during Friday's sitting of the Lower House, Tower D, Waterfront Centre, in Port of Spain.
During her contribution, Cox read from a letter of intent between Gibbs and Dirk Barnes, managing director of Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Company, about the company supplying its "Sky View Surveillance Support" as a "law enforcement aviation pilot project".
The contract is for 720 hours use of Zenith CH 750 Air Scout Aircraft for a three-month evaluation period at a cost of TT$902,772 or US$140,400.
Cox questioned what role deputy police commissioner Jack Ewatski played in the acceptance of the contract.
Sandy, speaking with members of the media following the 7th Compliance Conference on Anti Money Laundering held at the Hyatt Regency hotel Monday, distanced himself from the transaction.
"The Commissioner of Police is the accounting officer for the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and, as such, he has the authority to do what he wants with it," the Express quoted Sandy as saying.
Sandy said since the contract was raised by Cox last Friday, he spoke to Gibbs every day since then on the issue and expected to receive a report on the matter.
Persad-Bissessar said Monday Sandy has been asked to get a report on the purchase, which Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs has the power to make, without consultation.
Speaking with reporters after the sod- turning ceremony for the construction of the University of the West Indies South Campus in Debe, Persad-Bissessar said, "I have absolutely no knowledge of that matter. It was never a matter that came to the Government or to the Cabinet."
She said the best person to ask any questions about the aircraft would be Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs himself.
Rowley raised the issue again at a news conference at his Charles Street, Port of Spain, Monday where he produced a number of documents to show that Gibbs gave the contract to a company at a higher cost when he (Gibbs) had in his possession proposals from another company at a much lower price.
Rowley produced a letter dated October 6, 2010 to Gibbs from Eddie Dallsingh, managing director of Navi-Comm Avionics Ltd.
In that letter, Dallsingh said he could help make a big impact in the fight against crime, with provision of light sport aircraft to the police at a cost of US$35 an hour (TT$224) and asked Gibbs for an opportunity to make a presentation.
However, by letter dated December 31, 2010, Gibbs responded to Dallsingh, advising him to forward his proposal to the National Security Ministry's permanent secretary.
Rowley then produced another document- a certified copy of notice of change of directors of the Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Co Ltd.
In this document, Daniel Condon (airline pilot) and soldiers Dirk Barnes and Kevon Stafford were listed as the directors.
Rowley said this company was formed in July 2011, only after one of its principals was in association with Ewatski.
Details of a new e-mail provided by Opposition MP Donna Cox, stated that since June 5, 2011, from Condon to Barnes, they were hopeful of sealing the deal after flying with Ewatski.
Rowley further produced another document- a letter of intent- sent by Gibbs to Barnes- which thanked the company for its interest to provide a "unique" service to the police.
In Gibbs's letter to Barnes, he stated that the contract would be awarded to Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Ltd at a cost of US$140,400,000 (TT$902,772,000).
Rowley said this "fly by night" company, "whose only qualification is that they got close to officers who are in a position to make these decisions and the procurement process leaves everything to be desired".
He said one has to assume that this pilot project will be approved to enter into a long-term contract with the Police Service and, according to his calculations, Rowley said this could turn into a $10 million contract for this company over a three-year period, using the figures for the pilot project.
"What we have here is a surreptitious entry into a multi-million-dollar contract," said Rowley.
"The conduct of officers who should protect the public purse and in fact who should call into question the conduct of other people, their own conduct is now a matter of concern to us," he said.
"Today I am sending this entire file in my possession to the Police Service Commission, where they will examine the conduct of the Commissioner of Police and the deputy Commissioner of Police in this matter...They will then determine whether the conduct is the kind that poses no threat to the people of this country," he added.
Rowley said what bothered him was that when the matter was raised in Parliament last Friday, National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy did not see the jeopardy in the inappropriate conduct of Ewatski, but was more concerned as to where the Opposition got its information from. (Trinidad Express)
