NIPDEC to disclose documents within 48 hours

ATTORNEYS for former NIPDEC Chairman Edward Bayley, yesterday requested several documents from NIPDEC, saying they couldn’t start questioning witnesses who implicated Bayley without those documents. As a result, the Commission ordered that one particular document which NIPDEC’s attorney was reluctant to disclose be made available to the Commission within 48 hours.

Attorney Sonny Maharaj, SC leading Stewart Young together with Bayley appeared yesterday before the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Project. At the start of the sitting, Maharaj told the Commission that he was unable to proceed because he needed to see several documents from NIPDEC. These included NIPDEC’s original tender rules, the amended rules and those presented to Parliament for negative resolution. In addition, Maharaj asked for the contract for CP3 and a report from Ernst and Young. That report was mentioned in evidence by former NIPDEC General Manager, Noel Garcia.

NIPDEC’s attorney Jonathon Walker was reluctant to disclose the report. Walker said he was hesitant because he did not know what the document contained and he wondered whether it was relevant to the inquiry. Walker said he also did not want to hand over a document which may contain sensitive information pertaining to NIPDEC’s accounts. Walker said he would prefer that the report be sent to the Commission for it to determine if it was relevant to the inquiry before it was disclosed to Maharaj. But Chairman Clinton Bernard pointed out that it was Maharaj’s right to see the report since his client’s reputation was at stake. Bernard later ordered Walker to make the report available to the Commission within 48 hours, or as soon as possible. Bayley and his attorneys will return on April 2 when they are expected to question NIPDEC’s General Manager, Margaret Thompson, as well as Garcia. The inquiry was adjourned to Monday at 9.30 am.