Govt corruption lawsuit shrouded in secrecy

Attempts to view the documents filed on Wednesday at the Civil Registry of the Supreme Court in Port-of-Spain were futile.

Newsday was told by a clerk at the Civil Registry counter that, ‘if there is one (a file) it is sealed.’ The clerk also indicated that filed documents were not public documents and permission from the attorneys in the case or the Registrar was required to view them.

Attempts were also made to ascertain on whose authority or direction the documents were sealed and Newsday was told that the Registrar of the High Court has the power to order that documents be sealed.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi on Thursday said the lawsuit was the first to arise out of extensive audits and investigations ordered by the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government after assuming office in September last year.

“In this particular matter, there are nine defendants, including public officials and persons who have had control of certain entities of the State.

The nature of matters surround the core of corruption, unjust enrichment, the breach of certain duties but it is squarely designed to tackle corruption, mismanagement and to ask people to account for what they have done,” Al-Rawi said. The AG was judicious in his statements, insisting he could not reveal the parties named in the lawsuit and the wrongdoing they are alleged to have committed as the case was at a sensitive stage.

“It involves several hundreds of million of dollars in transactions which are under position and there are damages requested on top of that,” he said.

Newsday understands the lawsuit involves former officials of the HDC, a State-run company which falls under the Ministry of Housing and surrounds a land transaction. At least two companies are among the nine defendants named in the suit.

Attempts to get a comment from AG Al-Rawi yesterday were futile.