Airport Inquiry — Week in review

The Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco airport project has entered its second phase. That is the phase where persons who were implicated by the evidence of witnesses are summoned to appear to challenge the evidence by cross examination, direct evidence or by calling supporting witnesses.

Last Friday marked the 120th day of the Inquiry.

MONDAY

Birk Hillman called the shots

A FORMER NIPDEC manager yesterday revealed that Birk Hillman Consultants (BHC) “called the shots”on every decision taken regarding the Piarco International Airport Project. As the Commission of Inquiry into the Project continued at the Caribbean Court of Justice yesterday, it was also revealed that BHC and Northern York Consortium (NYC) were protected on several controversial project decisions by the former United National Congress (UNC) government.

Under questioning by NIPDEC attorney Christopher Hamel-Smith, former NIPDEC senior project manager Ian Telfer testified that he was part of the company’s team to deal with the Project.  Telfer said a March 31, 1998 contract between Government and NIPDEC, showed that the latter (NIPDEC) was supposed to be the designated overseer for the Project. “That was our understanding,” he told the Commission. However Hamel-Smith pointed out that regardless of Telfer’s understanding of NIPDEC’s role in the project, the contract recited that “BHC is the project manager”.

TUESDAY

Finance Ministry never supervised Airport Project monies

PERMANENT SECRETARY in the Ministry of Finance, Kamal Mankee, revealed yesterday that the Ministry’s Project Management Unit (PMU) never monitored the Piarco International Airport Project because the former United National Congress (UNC) government denied it the tools to do so.

Testifying before the Commission of Inquiry into the Project at the Caribbean Court of Justice, Mankee said he was PS from May 1997 to December 1999 and was reappointed to the position last March. He told the Commission that at the time of the Project, he was the director of the Ministry’s PMU which had responsibility for overseeing the financial aspects of any government project ( including the development works at the Piarco and Crown Point Airports).

Asked by Commission lead attorney Theodore Guerra SC if he knew the budgeted cost for combined works at Piarco and Crown Point was $660 million, Mankee replied affirmatively.
Asked if he knew that cost of works at Piarco had skyrocketed to $3.6 billion, the PS said he was shocked to hear of this figure but had no reason to doubt its accuracy given the source of the information.

THURSDAY

Security Manager did not know details of firearms contract

LEO REYES, Deputy Manager of Security at the Piarco Airport and the holder of the Firearms Licence for the Airport for the past nine years, admitted yesterday that he knew few details about the contract given to Firearms Training Institute (FTI) to service guns used by Airports Authority security personnel. He also said neither himself nor the Manager of Security, Dennis John, could verify the work done.

Giving testimony at the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Project, Reyes said as holder of the Licence he sought to see the contract but was unsuccessful. The only information he obtained was what he was told by John. Reyes said he did not attempt further inquiries at management level. The contract, was “mainly for auditing”, which involved checking and verifying the firearms on a monthly basis and servicing.  Reyes said John told him to facilitate the process.

FRIDAY

Former NIPDEC Corporate
Secretary admits —
Evidence given in camera against
former Chairman was wrong

Former Corporate Secretary of National Insurance Property Development Company (NIPDEC) Glen Lezama, admitted yesterday that certain evidence which he had given in camera on September 11 last year before the commission was wrong. Lezama claimed while giving evidence in camera that Edward Bayley, the former Chairman of NIPDEC had manipulated the tendering process while he was Chairman of NIPDEC.

During cross examination by Attorney Sonny Maharaj SC, who is appearing on behalf of the former Chairman at yesterday’s hearing of the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Development Project, Lezama was asked about certain statements he made about Bayley, which Maharaj said purported to destroy his client’s reputation. In his evidence of September 11, Lezama claimed that the decision by Bayley to make amendments at a board meeting was not protocol.