Airport project started without approval

THE Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) did no checks to ascertain if  Birk Hillman Consultants (BHC) complied with several conditions before planning approval could be granted for construction of the Piarco Airport. In addition, former UNC Minister John Humphrey did not obstruct the Division in carrying out those checks.

However, the Minister did frustrate officers of the Division by his directive that approval be given before an evaluation was carried out of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). So said Carol Smart, Director of TCPD yesterday when she was questioned by Humphrey’s attorney Sean Cazabon, at the Commission of Inquiry into the Piarco Airport Project. Smart reiterated that it was the first time officers were frustrated by a Minister. She confirmed that construction of the airport terminal began without planning approval from the Division, which was not unusual. She agreed that planning approval for the Grand Bazaar was given after construction began, but said in that case the developers were not asked to submit an EIA. She agreed with Cazabon that since construction of  the airport began without planning approval, Humphrey could not be blamed, because he was not yet Minister of Planning and Development. However she explained that because of the size, scope and nature of the Piarco project, the Division wanted an assessment of the EIA. 

In response to further questions from Cazabon, Smart said the Advisory Town Planning panel was established to advise the Minister of Planning of appeals. However, when Humphrey took over the portfolio of Planning and Development, he expanded the functions of the panel to advise him on everything. She agreed that Humphrey had that right and there were no complaints about the changes he initiated. Smart also agreed that if Humphrey was advised by the panel to direct the Division to give approval, he was merely acting on that advice. But Smart said she didn’t know if such advice was given by the panel, which was chaired by Tim Mooledhar. Coincidentally, she revealed that Mooledhar also advised BHC, and his dual role as advisor to both the Minister and BHC was a conflict of interest. Smart said when developers fail to comply with the Division’s directive to meet certain conditions, they are first served with a notice requiring them to fulfil the conditions, after which failure to comply can result in enforcement of the law under the TCPD Act, which is a minimum penalty. She told Cazabon the Division never checked to determine if BHC had fulfilled their obligation to meet the conditions stipulated, and agreed that the Division was never obstructed by Humphrey in carrying out that duty.

Smart said she didn’t expect everyone at the Division to agree with the Minister, but pointed out that it was the first time she had encountered such frustration by a Minister. Smart also agreed that approval for drainage for the project had to be given by the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, which fell under the portfolio of the Ministry of Works and Transport. Cazabon will question other witnesses who implicated Humphrey on April 4. The inquiry will continue this morning when Tyrone Gopee and Jearlean John are expected to reappear.