Rowley’s ‘crooked’ announcement undermines sole investigator

He said yesterday the suspension of the Port Authority’s (PATT) chief executive officer after the appointment of the sole investigator, businessman Christian Mouttet to investigate the fiasco, “suggests that the culprit, or a scapegoat, has already been identified.” As sole investigator, Khan said, it was expected Mouttet would have provided an explanation of what transpired in the negotiations and identify those involved.

Rowley’s view a week after Mouttet’s appointment, Khan said, raises the question as to whether Mouttet’s investigation “is meant to uncover the truth surrounding the matter or merely discover facts that may be woven into the narrative being spun by the prime minister and his administration.” He questioned whether stakeholders and the nation can have any confidence in the PATT’s current board acquiring a new vessel after the fiasco occurred under its watch.

Khan said while blame may be pinned on an employee or more, it does not excuse chairman Alison Lewis and the board members who were overseeing the process. “Red flags should have immediately went up when it was realised that local personnel would have been unable to inspect either of the two vessels prior to the signing of the charter agreement.” Any other administration would have considered as “gross incompetence bordering on criminal negligence” Lewis finalising negotiations and advising Cabinet to approve the deal before Bridgeman’s Services Group had even fully acquired the cargo vessel Cabo Star and Ocean Flower II, Khan said.

Khan said despite businesses in Tobago losing millions of dollars during what should have been a peak season for them as vessels currently servicing the seabridge are not sufficient to handle the traffic, Rowley was attempting to deflect from the matter when he should be finding a resolution.

He said a proactive administration would have monitored the situation after the first deadline for delivery of the Ocean Flower II was missed. On the failure to deliver by the second deadline, he said, alternative planning should have immediately gone into place.