CALDER HART, SUNWAY LINK TRUE

Under Hart’s chairmanship a $368 million contract was given to Udecott to build the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower in Port-of-Spain.

The documents, including birth and marriage certificates, which were first obtained by former Attorney General John Jeremie prior to the May 24 General Election were handed over to new Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, when he assumed office.

Ramlogan disclosed then that the documents ordered from the Malaysian Government for authentication, were in Malay, the official language of Malaysia. As a result, he had to get a translator.

The AG got an “unofficial” translation, but his Ministry had to secure a qualified translator who could give testimony in court. The Foreign Office in England was contacted, and arrangements made to get an official translator.

Yesterday, Ramlogan told Newsday: “The official translation of the documents is completed and has been authenticated. I have since met with the head of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB), Superintendent Solomon Koon Koon, and those documents were passed on to him last Friday.” He added that the matter is now in the hands of the police. Yesterday, Supt Koon Koon confirmed to Newsday that he received the documents from the Office of the Attorney General, and he in turn, has passed it on to Senior Supt Harold Phillip, head of the Fraud Squad.

The Fraud Squad is currently pursuing a perjury investigation against Hart with regard to his testimony before the John Uff-led Commission of Inquiry into Udecott. They are also probing other matters involving Hart.

Yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, said the documents obtained by the Attorney General from Malaysia have not reached him. He is expected to meet with the police on the perjury investigation shortly.

The DPP met with police last month on the perjury probe and sent the file back to the investigators for further enquiries because of a legal loophole. On March 3, the Congress of the People (COP) received documents from Malaysia showing links between Sherrine Hart and the two directors of Sunway. Those documents were sent to the DPP and police were ordered to launch a full probe into certain allegations. The COP through its attorney Timothy Hamel-Smith wrote to Malaysian law firm Skrine, asking officials to seek information from the Malay Attorney General for verification of the authenticity of birth and marriage certificates belonging to Sherrine Hart and members of her family.

The authentication was received from Skrine by COP, but it was in Malay.

It was then forwarded to the Attorney General. During the Uff Commission of Inquiry, Calder Hart denied knowing the two directors of Sunway which was awarded the $368 million contract for the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower. Newsday understands that the police are working within the ambit of the mutual assistance and legal treaty provisions paving the way for tracing of funds and documents from different parts of the world, with respect to all matters relating to Hart, Udecott and Sunway.

Hart fled the country in March hours after he resigned from six State corporations, including Udecott, an entity which handled billions of dollars in State funds on behalf of the State for the construction of several buildings.

Yesterday, police sources close to the investigations told Newsday that when Hart was interviewed earlier this year at his Cascade home, he denied knowing any director at Sunway.