21 new charges laid in Piarco Airport probe

IN ALL, 21 charges of conspiracy and fraud have been laid against former Government Ministers, public officials and prominent businessmen for alleged corruption in the construction of the new terminal building for Piarco International Airport. The full list of charges laid by officers attached to the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau follows:

CHARGE 1 — Conspiracy - Larceny Act, s. 34
Steve Ferguson, Ishwar Galbaransingh, Brian Kuei Tung, Raul Gutierrez, Ronald Birk, Eduardo Hillman, Sadiq Baksh, Ameer Edoo, Tyrone Gopee, Peter Cateau, Edward Bayley, Renee Pierre, Northern Construction Limited, Calmaquip Engineering Corporation, Maritime Life (Caribbean) Insu-rance Limited, Maritime General Insurance Com-pany Limited, and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limi-ted in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere the 1st day of January, 1995, and the 31st day of December, 2001 did conspire unlawfully together and with Donald Gibbon, Amrith Maharaj, Richard Espinet, Baliram Sawh, Birk Hillman Consultants Inc (dissolved as of October 31, 2003), Trevor Romano (now deceased), and Diversified Communications Limited and with other persons unknown, to obtain contracts and payments or settlements thereunder, of a total face value of up to $1,600,000,000.00 to wit: Piarco Airport Design and Project Management (Birk Hillman Consul-tants, Inc.) Piarco Airport, CP4, 5 and 6 (1997), CP 3 (1998), CP5, CP8 and CP9 (1999) (Northern Construction Limited (also known as NYC (Northern Construction Limited, Yorke Structures Limited, Coosal’s Con-struction Company Limi-ted) Consortium), and Piarco Airport CP9 (1997), and CP 13 (1999) (Calmaquip Engineering Corporation) for the benefit of Birk Hillman Consultants Inc, Northern Construction Limited, and Calmaquip Engineering Corporation, as corporate revenue for their performance of the said contracts and as the source of corrupt or other unlawful payments of a total value of up to $144,048,858.00 for the benefit of others, to wit: Steve Ferguson, Brian Kuei Tung, Ishwar Galbaransingh, Ronald Birk, Eduardo Hillman, Raul Gutierrez, The United National Congress, Maritime Life (Caribbean) Limited, Maritime, Maritime General Insurance Company Limited, and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limited, with intent to defraud the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT) the National Insurance Property Development Company (NIPDEC), the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the public, by falsely pretending that the process involved in the obtaining of the said contracts and payments thereunder, was open, honest and competitive contrary to the fact which false pretences were facilitated by one or more of the following with respect to each of the contracts:

1) public officials in strategic positions including the following:
Brian Kuei Tung, as Minister of Finance and Tourism;
Sadiq Baksh, as Minister of Works and Transport (MWT);
Ishwar Galbaransingh, as Chairman of the Tourism and Industrial Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (TIDCO);
Ameer Edoo, as Chairman of the AATT;
Edward Bayley as Chairman of NIPDEC;
Tyrone Gopee as Chairman of AATT;
Peter Cateau as Client Representative for MWT for the Piarco project;
Trevor Romano (now deceased) as Executive Director of NIPDEC;

2) the creation of the “Task Force” to map out a “fast track” programme for the implementation of the development for the Piarco International Airport including Sadiq Baksh, Ameer Edoo, and Ishwar Galbaransingh,

3) the award of the Design and Project Management Agreement to Birk Hillman Consultants, Inc, with responsibilities for project specification, determination of the tendering/invitation/proposal/bidding procedure, and evaluation of pre-qualifications/proposals/bids,

4) the fraudulent misrepresentation by Northern Construction Limited that it was acting on behalf of itself, Yorke Structures Limited and Coosal’s Construction Company in obtaining the contracts.

5) the change in “consortium” requirements made by Birk Hillman Consultants Inc in the bid requirements to accommodate the fact that Northern Construction Limited did not have 60% of the assets of the “consortium” in any event,

6) the fraudulent misrepresentation of the financial independence of Northern Construction Limited as shown by the issuance of loans by Maritime Life (Carib-bean) Insurance Limited and Maritime General Insurance Company Lim-ited through Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limited to Northern Construction Limited in one or more of the following particulars: CP3 (1998) $32,447,152.38, CP5 (1999) $19,290,728.18, CP8 (1999) $5,010,000.00, CP9 (1999) $22,000,000.00 and the appointment by Northern Construction Limited of Don Gibbon, a Director of Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limited, as Project Manager for Northern Construction Limited’s Piarco Airport Projects,

7) the fraudulent misrepresentation that bona fide bonds had been issued by Maritime General Insurance Company Limited, with the assistance of Fidelity Finance and Leasing Co Ltd, to Northern Construction Limited (also known as NYC Consortium), in one or more of the following particulars: CP6(1997) $19,737,875.00, CP3 (1998) $8,000,000.00, CP5 (1999) $8,452,569.00, CP8 (1999) $1,900,000.00, CP9 (1999) $17,995,000.00

8) the interrelated ownership and control of Maritime Life (Carib-bean) Insurance Limited, Maritime General Insu-rance Company Limited and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limi-ted,

9) the creation by Steve Ferguson, Ishwar Galbaransingh and Raul Gutierrez of an undisclosed business partnership in relation to the Piarco Airport Construc-tion Project with secret offshore banking arrangements jointly and severally operated by one or more of Steve Ferguson, Ishwar Galbaransingh and Raul Gutierrez and the use of these offshore banking arrangements and nominal suppliers and affiliates of Northern Construction Limited and Calmaquip Engineering Corporation,

10) the abuse of public office by Sadiq Baksh, Brian Kuei Tung, Ameer Edoo, Ishwar Galbaran-singh, Edward Bayley, Tyrone Gopee, Peter Cateau, Trevor Romano (now deceased) accepting corrupt personal or political payments as referred in paragraph 10 following, or career enhancement in return for public contract awards and administrative decisions favouring Birk Hillman Consultants Inc, Northern Construction Limited and Calmaquip Engineering Corporation.

11) the corrupt or other unlawful payments by Birk Hillman Consultants Inc, Northern Construc-tion Limited and Calmaquip Engineering Corporation from the corporate revenue of the said contracts of a total value of up to $144,048,858.00 to, or for the benefit of, public officials, and to their principals and/or to, or for the benefit of, each other’s principals and, in the case of Northern Construction Limited, to, or for the benefit of, a political party, contrary to section 34(1) of the Larceny Act.

PARTICULARS -
1. The “process involved in the obtaining of the said contracts and payment of monies thereunder” includes one or more of the following with respect to each of the said contracts.

1.1 selection of the project manager and consultant,

1.2 project specification.

1.3 determination of the tendering/invitat-ion/proposal/bidding procedure,

1.4 submission of pre-qualifications/proposals/ bids,

1.5 evaluation of pre-qualifications/proposals/bids,

1.6 bonding,

1.7 financing,

1.8 sub-contracting,

1.9 invoicing and payments,

1.10 change orders/variations;

2. The “corrupt or other unlawful payments” of up to a total of $144,048,885.00 include one or more of the following with respect to each contract:

2.1 A payment of US$478,224.39 dated March 26, 1997 by Birk Hillman Consultants Inc to the Southern Commerce Bank (to repay the bank loan owing by Birk Hillman Consultants Inc) from the payments by AATT, made through the month of March 1997, of the first invoice to AATT in the amount of US$2,260,000.00 on its Piarco Airport Design and Project Management Agreement by falsely pretending to have created drawings in relation to the Terminal Development project at Piarco between October 17, 1996 and December 31 of 1996.

2.2 Between April 16, 1997 and January 9, 1997 by Birk Hillman Consultants Inc to Ronald Birk three payments totalling US$377,000.00 and to or on behalf of Eduardo Hillman seven payments totalling US$377,000.00 through Overseas Communications and Investment Corporation (OCIC), a shell company without employees which was beneficially owned and controlled by Ronald Birk and Eduardo Hillman, on the basis of invoices by Overseas Communications and Investment Corporation (OCIC) to Birk Hillman Consultants Inc without any reason or justification for Birk Hillman Consultants Inc to use the AATT funds for this purpose.

2.3 A payment of $132,000 by Birk Hillman Consultants Inc from the proceeds from its first invoice to AATT dated January 22, 1997 in the amount of US$2,260,000.00 on its Piarco Airport Design and Project Management Agreement, without any reason or justification for Birk Hillman Consultants Inc to use the AATT funds for this purpose, through secret offshore bank accounts for the direct or indirect benefit of Steve Ferguson,

2.4 Five payments between October 28, 1998 and November 26, 1999 totalling $77,480.00 by Northern Construction Limited to Capil’s Co Limited, an appliance retail store, for the purchase of air conditioners for the personal residential use of Brian Kuei Tung and Renee Pierre and for the residential use of Ellen Kuei Tung at a time proximate to the awards of CP3, CP5, CP8 and CP9 to Northern Construction Limited,

2.5 Nine payments between July 9, 1999 and December 9, 1999 totalling $2,592,012.59 by Northern Construction Limited to Diversified Communications Limited to repay a debt owed to Diversified Communications Limited by the United National Congress for local Transportation and Minister responsible for the Piarco Airport was also responsible, on behalf of the United National Congress for such local government election advertising and at a time proximate to the awarding of CP5, CP8 and CP9,

2.6 Three payments on August 27, 1999 totalling $150,000.00 by Northern Construction Limited (cheque Nos. 2455, 2456 and 2457 for $50,000.00 each) to Renee Pierre, carrying on business as Diversified Trading which were deposited on August 30, 1999 to its account at Republic Bank to support a cheque dated August 30, 1999 for $80,000.00 issued to Royal Bank to pay a VISA credit card account of Brian Kuei Tung and Mrs Ellen Kuei Tung and another cheque dated August 30, 1999 for $50,000.00 to Brian Kuei Tung for deposit to his bank account, proximate to the award of CP5, CP8 and CP9 to Northern Construction Limited,

2.7 Three payments on August 27, 1999 totalling $150,000.00 by Northern Construction Limited (cheque Nos. 2458, 2459 and 2460 for $50,000.00 each ) to Diversified Communications Limited which were deposited on August 30, 1999 to its account at the First Citizens Bank to support a Diversified Communications Limited cheque for $150,000.00 issued to First Citizens Bank to pay a VISA credit card account of Brian Kuei Tung proximate to the award of CP5, CP8 and CP9 to Northern Construction Limited,

2.8 Four payments made between January 6, 1999 and November 1, 1999 by Northern Construction Limited through the AATT to Fidelity Finance and Leasing Co Ltd to pay invoices from Maritime General Insurance Company Limited for the premium on four performance bonds totalling up to $36,362,569.00 issued for one or more of CP3 (1998) $8,000,000.00; CP5 (1999) $8,452,569.00; CP8 (1999) $1,900,000.00: CP9 (1999) $17,995,000.00, which were not bona fide performance bonds

2.9 Seven payments totalling US$2,100,000.00 (US$300,000.00 each) between February 2, 2000 and August 16, 2000 by Northern Construction Limited issued to Optimus Equipment Supply Ltd, a Nassau, Bahamas company beneficially owned by Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh, with US$335,000.00 disbursed to a Florida attorney handling two real estate transactions on behalf of Brian Kuei Tung as a purchaser with the balance plus interest paid to Ishwar Galbaransingh (US$318,000.00) and Steve Ferguson (US$1,518,000.00) all of which was proximate to the award of CP9 and ongoing Change Orders and Variations therein to Northern Construction Limited,

2.10 Fifteen payments between July 18, 2000 and November 27, 2001 totalling US$5,202,795.00 issued by Calmaquip Engineering Corporation to the benefit of Ishwar Galbaransingh, Steve Ferguson and Raul Gutierrez, through bank accounts beneficially owned by one or more of Ishwar Galbaransingh, Steve Ferguson or Raul Gutierrez with Bank Leu in Nassau, Bahamas, proximate to the progress payment made by AATT in 2000 for the purchase of equipment and their quarterly maintenance contract payments made in 2001 to Calmaquip Engineering Corporation under CP13,

2.11 Nine payments between August 21, 2000 and January 31, 2001 of US$1,554,740.00 and US$164,000.00 issued by Empressas Sudamericanas, SA and Techton Inc, respectively, subcontractors to Northern Construction Limited on the CP9 contract to Argentum International Marketing Services Limited, a Nassau, Bahamas company beneficially owned by Steve Ferguson for the benefit of Steve Ferguson, Ishwar Galbaransingh and Raul Gutierrez,

2.12 Four payments totalling $3,750,000.00 between November 9, 2000 and November 14, 2000 issued by Northern Construction Limited and on November 14, 2000 a further $1,350,000.00 issued by Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limited for the purchase of three acres of undeveloped land adjoining folio number....for the benefit of Ishwar Galbaransingh proximate to the receipt by Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Ltd and Northern Construction Limited of payments proximate to the latter stages of Northern Construction Limited’s Piarco Airport contracts,

2.13 Payments issued by Northern Construction Limited between October 5, 1998 and January 31, 2001 to Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limited for fees, interest and other expenses related for the loans made by Maritime Life (Caribbean) Insurance Limited and Maritime General Insurance Company Limited totalling up to $18,393,494.48 for one or more of: CP3 $6,148,479.21; CP5 $3,841,083.74; CP8 $974,297.49;  CP9 $7,429,634.04,

2.14 Payment in 2000 and 2001 by AATT to Birk Hillman Consultants Inc of US$3,341,468 in response to a series of Birk Hilllman Consultants Inc monthly invoices for a claim for additional fees, losses and expenses valued by an arbitrator at the said US$3,341,468 for a delay claim as a result of the suspension of works for a period of 18 months (March 1997 to September 1998) on the Piarco Airport project, which suspension of works was caused in part by Birk Hillman Consultants Inc,

CHARGE 2- April 22, 2004

Donald Gibbon, Amrith Maharaj, Richard Espinet and Baliram Sawh in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere, between the 1st day of January, 1995 and the 31st day of December 2001 did conspire unlawfully together with Steve Ferguson, Ishwar Galbaransingh, Brian Kuei Tung, Raul Gutierrez, Ronald Birk, Eduardo Hillman, Sadiq Baksh, Ameer Edoo, Tyrone Gopee, Peter Cateau, Edward Bayley, Northern Construction Limited, Calmaquip Engineering Corporation, maritime Life (Caribbean) Insurance Limited, Maritime General Insurance Company Limited, and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company Limited, Birk Hillman Consultants Inc (dissolved as of October 31, 2003), Trevor Romano (now deceased), Diversified Communications Limited, and Renee Pierre, carrying on business as Diversified Trading and with other persons unknown, to obtain contracts and payments or settlements thereunder: to wit: Piarco Airport CP4, 5 and 6 (1997), CP3 (1998), CP5, CP8 and CP9 (1999) (Northern Construction Limited (also known as NYC (Northern Construction Limited, Yorke Structures Limited, Coosal’s Construction Company Limited) Consortium), for the benefit of Northern Construction Limited with intent to defraud the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT), the National Insurance Property Development Company (NIPDEC), the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the public, by falsely pretending that the bidding, bonding, financing and project management processes in relation to the said contracts was open, honest and competitive contrary to the fact.
Contrary to section 34(1) of the Larceny Act.

CHARGE 3

Ronald Birk and Eduardo Hillman between January 19, 1997 and March 27, 1997, in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of US$2,260,000 by falsely pretending to have created drawings in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco between October 17, 1996 and December 31, 1996 and by falsely pretending that Overseas Communications and Investment Corporation had carried out work between December 1, 1996 and February 28, 1997 for the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport contrary to section 34(1) of the Larceny Act, Chap.11:12.

CHARGE 4

Brian Kuei Tung between October 27, 1998 and November 27, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago by himself corruptly received for his own use a gift from Northern Construction Limited, namely air conditioners to the value of $77,480, on account of Brian Kuei Tung an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987.

CHARGE 5

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction Limited between October 27, 1998 and November 27, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago corruptly gave a gift to Brian Kuei Tung, namely air conditioners to the value of $77,480, on account of Brian Kuei Tung, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 6

Sadiq Baksh between July 8, 1999 and December 10, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago corruptly obtained from Northern Construction Limited for the United National Congress consideration to the value of $2,592,012.59 being the payment of a debt owed by the United National Congress to Diversified Communications Limited as a reward for Sadiq Baksh, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the business of his principal, namely the State in the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, contrary to section 4(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 7

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction Limited between July 8, 1999 and December 10, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago corruptly gave to Sadiq Baksh,  as agent, consideration to the value of $2,592,012.59 being the payment of a debt owed by the United National Congress to Diversified Communications Limited as an inducement for the said Sadiq Baksh favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the business of his principal, namely the State, in the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, contrary to section 4(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 8

Brian Kuei Tung between August 26, 1999 and August 31, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago by himself corruptly received for himself from Northern Construction Limited an advantage in the sum of $80,000.00, namely payment of a VISA credit card account in the name of Brian Kuei Tung and Ellen Kuei Tung at RBTT Bank Limited, on account of the said Brian Kuei Tune favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body named the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 9

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction Limited, between August 26, 1999 and August 31, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago corruptly gave to Brian Kuei Tung an advantage in the sum of $80,000.00, namely payment of a VISA credit card account in the name of Brian Kuei Tung and Ellen Kuei Tung at RBTT Bank Limited, on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body named the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 10

Brian Kuei Tung between August 26, 1999 and August 31, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago by himself corruptly received for himself from Northern Construction Limited a reward in the sum of $50,000.00, namely a deposit to an account in his name at RBTT Bank Limited, on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 11

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj  and Northern Construction Limited, between August 26, 1999 and August 31, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago corruptly gave to Brian Kuei Tung a reward in the sum of $50,000.00, namely a deposit to  an account in his name at RBTT Bank Limited, on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung an agent favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation, to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 12

Brian Kuei Tung between August 26, 1999 and August 31, 1999 by himself corruptly received for himself from Northern Construction Limited, an advantage in the sum of $150,000.00, namely payment of a VISA credit card account in his name at First Citizens Bank Limited, on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports  Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987
CHARGE 13

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction Limited, between August 26, 1999 and August 31, 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago corruptly gave to Brian Kuei Tung and advantage in the sum of $150,000.00, namely payment of a VISA credit card account in the name of Brian Kuei Tung at First Citizens Bank Limited, on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Developments Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 14

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj, Steve Ferguson and Northern Construction Limited between February 1, 2000 and August 16, 2000 in Trinidad and Tobago with intent to defraud obtained from the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago the sum of US$2,100,000 by falsely pretending that Optimus Equipment Supply Company Limited had carried out work as a sub-contractor to Northern Construction Limited in connection with the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, contrary to section 34(1) of the Larceny Act, Chap 11:12.

CHARGE 15

Brian Kuei Tung between February 1, 2000 and August 17, 2000 in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere, by himself corruptly received for himself from Northern Construction Limited an advantage namely the payment of the sum of US$335,000 to Leslie Florez, an attorney in Florida, which was used by Leslie Florez, together with a further sum of US$465,000.00, on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 16

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction Limited, between February 1, 2000 and August 15, 2000, in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere, corruptly gave an advantage to Brian Kuei Tung namely the payment of the sum of US$335,000 to Leslie Florez, an attorney in Florida, on behalf of Brian Kuei Tung, to purchase two properties known as: (1) 19355 Turnberry Way, Unit TH6, Aventura, FL 33180 USA and (2) 600 North Victoria Park Road, Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33004 USA on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 17

Steve Ferguson, between February 1, 2000 and August 15, 2000 in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere, corruptly gave an advantage to Brian Kuei Tung namely the payment of the sum of US$465,000 to Leslie Florez, an attorney in Florida, on behalf of Brian Kuei Tung, to purchase two properties known as: (1) 19355 Turnberry Way, Unit TH6, Aventura, FL 33180 USA and (2) 600 North Victoria Park Road, Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33004 USA on account of the said Brian Kuei Tung, an agent, favouring or forbearing to disfavour the interests of Northern Construction Limited in relation to the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, a matter in which a public body namely the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago was concerned, contrary to section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1987

CHARGE 18

Ishwar Galbaransingh between June 1, 2001 and June 30, 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere received the sum of US$318,000 having reasonable grounds to suspect that the said sum of US$318,000 represented in part the proceeds to Northern Construction Limited of a specified offence, namely that Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj, Steve Ferguson and Northern Construction Limited between February 1, 2000 and August 16, 2000 in Trinidad and Tobago with intent to defraud  obtained from the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago the sum of US$2,100,000 by falsely pretending that Optimus Equipment Supply Company Limited had carried out work as a sub-contractor to Northern Construction Limited in connection with the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, contrary to section 46 of the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2000.

CHARGE 19

Steve Ferguson between June 1, 2001 and August 1, 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere received the sum of US$1,518,000 having reasonable grounds to suspect that the said sum of US$1,518,000 represented in part the proceeds to Northern Construction Limited of a specified offence, namely that Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj, Steve Ferguson and Northern Construction Limited between February 1, 2000 and August 16, 2000 in Trinidad and Tobago with intent to defraud obtained from the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago the sum of US$2,100,000 by falsely pretending that Optimus Equipment Supply Company Limited had carried out work as a sub-contractor to Northern Construction Limited in connection with the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, contrary to section 46 of the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2000

CHARGE 20

Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction Limited between August 20, 2000 and February 1, 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago with intent to defraud obtained from the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago the sum of US$1,728,740 by falsely pretending that Empresas Sudamericanas SA and Techton Inc had carried out work to that value as sub-contractors to Northern Construction Limited in connection with the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, contrary to section 34(1) of the Larceny Act, Chap 11:12.

CHARGE 21

Steve Ferguson between August 21, 2000 and January 31, 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere received the sum of US$1,728,740 having reasonable grounds to suspect that the said sum of US$1,728,740 represented in whole the proceeds to Northern Construction Limited of a specified offence, namely that Ishwar Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj and Northern Construction Limited between August 20, 2000 and February 1, 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago with intent to defraud obtained from the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago the sum of US$1,728,740 by falsely pretending that Empresas Sudamericanas SA and Techton Inc had carried out work to that value as sub-contractors to Northern Construction Limited in connection with the New Terminal Development Project at Piarco Airport, contrary to section 46 of the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2000.