Former security manager never saw firearms contract

THE FORMER Security Manager of the Airports Authority (AA), Dennis John, admitted yesterday that although he was aware that the Firearms Training Institute of which Tofeek Ali was part owner got a contract to service firearms belonging to the AA, he never saw a copy of the contract, and did not ask about it.

John said he didn’t think it was remiss of him not to make inquiries because when Ali’s firm was contracted to service the firearms, it was under the authority of  Leo Reyes. He said under his watch one Cpl Rattan of the AA, did the servicing of the firearms. John was giving evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Project. In response to questions from the Commission’s attorney Clive Phelps, John said the firearms would be removed from the AA premises to be serviced but he did not know of the arrangement, because it wasn’t under his portfolio. He explained that during the time the contract was given to Ali, Reyes was the holder of the firearm users licence for the AA.

John said he had asked Ali to see the contract, but it was never shown to him. John said it was also possible that before he joined the AA the Defence Force may have serviced the firearms,. John said he had been involved in security work for 39 years, and considered himself responsible. He said he gave advice on security matters to the AA Board, but while he reported to the Board he simply carried out the policies of the Board. He said while the contract with Ali may have been “loose”, it was structured in that both he and Reyes followed the procedure put in place by the Commissioner of Police for the firearms taken away for servicing. In response to a question from his attorney, Sean Cazabon, John said he was satisfied with the way the firearms were maintained. Earlier Cazabon questioned Kenneth Darlington, an estate constable at the AA and Peter Cateau, the Ministry of Works client representative on the project.

Cateau had said John received an ex-gratia payment of $5,000 a month together with several other AA managers. Questioned by Cazabon, Cateau agreed that the payment was approved by the AA Board chaired by Tyrone Gopee and it wasn’t a case of John approving a payment to himself. Cateau also agreed that according to a memo from Gopee dated April 10, 2001, the payment was for work done. Darlington had accused John of  purchasing expired bullet proof vests for the AA’s security department. Yesterday he agreed he was among the lowest rank officers at the AA and couldn’t say who was responsible for purchasing security supplies. He agreed that John was on special assignment for “some time” and Reyes was in charge. Asked if he knew that Reyes was responsible for purchasing the supplies, Darlington said he couldn’t say, although he presumed it was John as the Security Manager.

Darlington was also unaware that John merely acknowledged receipt of the supplies. He also disagreed that bullet proof vests did not have expiry dates. Told that the date he saw on the vests was the warranty date, Darlington insisted it was an expiry date. John will return on Friday when AA Chairman Linus Rogers will be questioned. The inquiry resumes this morning when former Housing Minister John Humphrey is expected to appear. Humphrey is also represented by Cazabon, who is expected to question at least two witnesses.