OPM helicopter fees go up under PP

This information is contained in the financial statements for the National Helicopter Services (NHS) for the period ending September 30, 2014, which were laid in Parliament last week.

According to the documents, the helicopter service fees for the OPM and the National Security Operations Centre (NSOC) increased from $9,595,129 in 2013 to $15,654, 807 in 2014.

However in the same period, fees for helicopter services to the Government declined from $995,807 (2013) to $486,385. The NHS is described in the 2014 financial statements as a State enterprise owned by the Government, which has an 82.3 percent shareholding in the company.

The National Gas Company (NGC) owns the remaining 17.7 percent of the issued share capital.

The company provides third party maintenance services and logistics support to the National Security Ministry, specifically the Special Anti-Crime Unit of TT, which was renamed as NSOC on August 31, 2011.

Overall, the total fees for helicopter services (inclusive of the OPM-NSOC, NGC and the Government) increased from $15,547,673 in 2013 to $19,694,689 in 2014. The statements also show that with respect to revenue from helicopter services, this figure for the Government dropped from $6,851,524 in 2013 to $3,310,652 in 2014. In contrast, the revenue for helicopter services for NGC increased from $14,720,121 in 2013 to $18,513,436 in 2014.

In terms of income from the OPM-NSOC, the NHS reported that management fees increased from $4,772,399 in 2013 to $6,745,367 in 2014. The company received $147,838 in revenue through a lease arrangement for a BO-105 helicopter to the OPMNSOC in 2013. That arrangement was discontinued in 2014.

In his contribution to the 2015/2016 Budget debate in Parliament on October 13, 2015, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley revealed that taxpayers paid $6 million for helicopter rides for his predecessor, Kamla Persad- Bissessar.

In terms of borrowings, the NHS entered into a US$26,800,000 ($170,448,000) facility with Royal Bank for the purchase of two S76D helicopters.

The company also has a U$11,500,000 ($73,600,000) facility with Republic Bank for the purchase of a S76C helicopter.