Gonzales mum on Agard's remarks to JSC

MINISTER of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales opted on Tuesday not to comment on former TSTT CEO Lisa Agard's remarks to Parliament's Joint Select Committee (JSC) on State Enterprises on Monday on events surrounding last October's cyber attack on the telecommunications firm.

Agard had been critical of the TSTT board, management, and network and IT department. She accused the department of not telling her of the cyber attack, which she said she had learnt about in a report a month later from TSTT's cyber security consultant.

Agard accused current acting TSTT CEO Kent Western of making false remarks to the JSC at a past hearing, and accused the board of muzzling her public utterances after the cyber attack by requiring their nod before she made public comments on the breach.

TSTT former CFO Shiva Ramnarine alleged that TSTT's suppliers had questionable links to TSTT officials who had opposed his efforts to reduce the company's spending costs.

Gonzales replied via WhatsApp to Newsday's query. "Hi Sean. No comment. I look forward to the work output of the JSC.

"Will be imprudent of me to comment on the testimony of persons who avail themselves before the committee."

Newsday tried but was unable to contact TSTT chairman Sean Roach, Western and corporate communications manager Khamal Georges.