Bridgeman VP:

BRIDGEMAN's Services Group (BSG) has handed over documentation on the procurement of the Ocean Flower 2 passenger vessel and the Cabo Star cargo vessel to special Cabinet investigator Christian Mouttet. BSG vice president Andrew Purdey made this disclosure to Newsday yesterday. In making this disclosure, Purdey said he was very impressed with the interaction he had with Mouttet and the team which is supporting the former TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce president. "He is a professional," Purdey said.

Purdey said he met with Mouttet, "over the last two days" and provided Mouttet with all the information that BSG has regarding the procurement of the vessels. "He (Mouttet) got it already," Purdey added. He said the meeting with Mouttet and his team was very productive and positive. Purdey said BSG was pleased to be able to cooperate fully with Mouttet and provide a full lay of the land on the vessel's procurement, from its perspective.

Purdey also said he and BSG are available to answer any other questions which Mouttet may have. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley appointed Mouttet on August 15 as sole investigator into the "circumstances surrounding the procurement of the Cabo Star and the Ocean Flower 2 and the entering into the charter party agreement for these vessels”. Mouttet is to submit a report to Rowley in 30 days time. Mouttet is being supported by the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs in the conduct of his investigation.

At a news conference at the Magdalena Grand Hotel on Monday, the Prime Minister slammed attempts by the Opposition and other people to “demonise” Mouttet. He said all this would achieve is that if a citizen is asked in the future to either serve on the board of any State agency or conduct any investigation on the State’s behalf, “they will think twice before they serve."

Rowley said something crooked may have happened in the procurement process for the Ocean Flower 2. Purdey has insisted there was no “there was no crookedness” on BSG’s part in the charter party agreements for Cabo Star and Ocean Flower 2. “The contracts were above board,” Purdey said. On Thursday, Port Authority chairman Alison Lewis said the Authority met with Mouttet. Lewis said the Authority is providing Mouttet with documents which he requested.

Purdey also said he is willing to appear before the Land and Physical Infrastructure joint select committee (JSC) to present BSG's perspective on this issue. The JSC will hold public hearing on the domestic seabridge on September 4 at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre and at the Victor B Bruce Financial Complex in Scarborough on September 6. Both hearings begin at 1 pm. The Integrity Commission is also conducting an investigation into this matter.