Faris to government on US$131m Piarco ruling: 'Show me the money'

Opposition Senator and former Attorney General (AG) Faris Al-Rawi has challenged the government to act with vigour as he waits to see its next move following a US Court of Appeal affirming a US$131 judgment in the Piarco airport scandal.

On September 10, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal upheld the judgment against businessman and former UNC financier Steve Ferguson.

A three-judge panel affirmed a Miami-Dade jury’s finding that Ferguson engaged in fraud related to inflated contracts for the Piarco International Airport project.

The ruling said evidence showed Ferguson funnelled millions of dollars through Miami accounts, destroyed incriminating documents in Florida and used Florida companies to push through inflated bids.

Ferguson, former head of the Maritime Group and a former chairman of National Gas Company, was found to have steered contracts to favoured firms in exchange for kickbacks.

Al-Rawi said government must apply to the High Court to make the US judgment applicable here.

Al-Rawi recalled the proceedings were initiated while current AG John Jeremie was serving in the same position as a member of a PNM government.

“The entire allegation has been that it's a political setup – that has been answered by a US court. The allegations against Mr Jeremie, that he acted politically in a wrong way, those have been put aside by a US Court of Appeal.”

He said the ruling vindicated Jeremie’s decision to pursue the case.

“The people of TT received a judgment of US$131,318,840.47. If you take the principal and interest, the amount is US$157 million.

“We also received US$17 million in legal costs. So… you're looking at close to TT$1.4 billion.”

He added he was looking on with interest as to what Jeremie’s next move will be as the money is not a sum to be scoffed at.

“That is the pot of the TT people."

Alluding to comments from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar recently when she was asked for an update on the promise to give public servants a ten per cent increase, Al-Rawi said this money could come in handy.

"The government is looking for money to pay wages, salaries, to enter into our development programme,” he said.

Noting Persad-Bissessar’s pledge to act swiftly against anyone in her government found to be corrupt, Al-Rawi challenged her and Jeremie to “show me the money.

“It's going to be very interesting right now to see the AG's vigour to pursue this money, more particularly the Prime Minister's vigour.”