State drops first set of charges against Renee Pierre

BUSINESSWOMAN Renee Pierre, one of eight persons before the court on corruption charges arising out of the Piarco Airport Development Project, had the original set of charges against her dropped by the State, during resumption of the hearing of the second inquiry into the case at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court yesterday. Queen’s Counsel Timothy Cassell told Magistrate Ejenny Espinet the State wished to discontinue the last charges made against Pierre. During his address, Cassel indicated that although the initial charges against Pierre were to be severed, summonses would be served on Pierre or her attorney Keith Scotland, for her to answer a fresh set of charges.

While Pierre’s previous charges were to be discontinued, new charges have already been laid against the other accused persons — Steve Ferguson, Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj, Brian Kuei Tung, Raul Guiterrez, Sadiq Baksh, Ameer Edoo, Tyrone Gopee, Peter Cateau and Edward Bayley. Five companies have also been charged. They are Northern Construction Ltd, Calmaquip Engineering Corporation, Maritime Life (Caribbean) Insurance Ltd, Maritime General Insurance Company Ltd and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Ltd.

Espinet read a total of six new charges to the accused persons. The defendants before the courts are charged with conspiring with Ronald Birk, Edwardo Hillman, Trevor Romano, James Patina and Birk/Hillman Consultants, to defraud the State of Trinidad and Tobago during different periods between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2001. The only accused who was excluded from the reading of the charges yesterday was accused Raul Guiterrez. According to his attorney Pamela Elder, while they were aware there were new charges to be laid, they questioned the procedure in the service of the document.

Other issues arose during the proceedings yesterday as attorney Vernon De Lima SC, who is  representing three of the five companies, told the magistrate the companies were not prepared to send a representative to sit throughout the proceedings. The three companies are Maritime General Insurance Company Ltd, Maritime Life (Caribbean) Ltd and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Ltd. The matter was adjourned to June 10, when arguments will be heard from both the State and the defence on whether matters should be heard jointly or separately.