AG slams Mark over scandal allegations

JULIEN NEAVES and SHANE SUPERVILLE

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi hit back at Opposition Senator Wade Mark on Tuesday, after Mark suggested that there may be fraudulent practices involving “high ranking individual in government.”

Mark made the comments during his contribution to Senate debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Registrar General, Registration of Deeds, Conveyancing and Law of Property, Real Property, Stamp Duty and Registration of Title to Land) Bill.

He said he was aware of a situation where a fraudulent act was committed against the people of TT using stamp duty and deed of trust. He said three lots at Picton Street, Port of Spain were transferred from a company called Cannon to a company called Belgrave Properties, which is a company Cannon created, and sold the land 12 years later for $1.75 million. He reported the land was originally purchased by Cannon from Century Janitorial Services for $3 million back in 2000. Mark said it was a matter for the Attorney General and the police to investigate.

“And I believe that the Minister of Finance of this country needs to come and tell us whether he is aware of a company called Belgrave Properties.”

He continued: “And we would like the Minister of Finance to tell this country and this Senate whether he bought a property for $1.7 million when that property was worth $12 million and denied the country endless stamp duties. These are matters that we want to get clarified. I cast no aspersions.”

During his contribution, Al-Rawi responded to Mark saying the allegations were mischievous and had no merit.

He also said he confirmed with Finance Minister Colm Imbert on the nature of his business transaction with the company.

“Whilst I was sitting here. I pulled up the company’s registry and I went in to deal with the example Senator Mark dealt with.

“The mechanism of the abuse of trust is because a trust agreement that is used to escape the true owner those are never registered. All that they do is they pay $25 stamp duty on the declaration of trust.

“I went into the company’s registry. I found the Belgrave company, I called the Minister of Finance and I can certify today that the Minister of Finance has confirmed that a company named Belgrave was the subject of a purchase of shares by he and his wife.

“He bought that shared holding in December 2012 and he paid $7.5 million for the transaction. So all of that hurrah and attempt to create scandal that Senator Mark raised is to be completely ignored and the questions have now been completely ignored. Whatever happened between Belgrave and Canon is not Colm Imbert. It wasn’t in the transaction.”

Al-Rawi in turn accused Mark of attempting to “fake a story” by asking questions in the Senate and stir scandal.