A firm owned by a well-known People’s Partnership financier has been awarded the security contract for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of the DPP falls under the purview of the Attorney General. The security change also occurred simultaneously at the AG’s St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, office. The DPP is housed at the Winsure Building, Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain.
Sources say the contract is worth millions and was awarded to Executive Bodyguard Services Ltd (EBSL), which is based in Point Lisas. The property which houses EBSL is also owned by the financier, a well-known contractor. EBSL was once based on Cipriani Boulevard, Port-of-Spain, but vacated the premises last year. EBSL executive director Nigel Bissoon could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The security contract was awarded to EBSL in November last year. EBSL replaced Innovative Security Technologies Ltd, which previously provided security to both offices. Sources say the contract of Innovative Security Technologies was not renewed. The company was given a three-year contract in August 2007. At the end of the three years, the contract was renewed for an additional two years, but the firm was subsequently retained on a month-to-month basis.
Sources say the Office of the AG approved the month-to-month contract. Efforts to contact the managing director of Innovative Security Technologies were unsuccessful yesterday, as all calls placed by the T&T Guardian went unanswered. These latest contracts are not the first to be awarded to EBSL. Several lucrative contracts, including that for the Estate Management Business Development Company (EMBDC) and the National Gas Company of T&T (NGC), also said to be worth millions, were also awarded to the company.
Sources say the former owner of EBSL, Samuel Stafford, sold the business to the PP financier for US$14 million last year. The sale, sources say, raised eyebrows within the National Security Ministry, which was then headed by Jack Warner. Stafford could not be reached yesterday, since all calls placed by the T&T Guardian went straight to his voice messaging service and messages left were not returned.
Contacted on the sudden change in security firms yesterday, Ramlogan said there was a tender process and EBSL was chosen at the end of it. When the T&T Guardian pointed out that EBSL is owned by a financier of the PP, Ramlogan said: “The entire procedure for procurement of security was dealt with by the Central Tenders Board. “We have the security firm’s contracts. When it comes to an end the normal procedure is to open tenders.”
Asked whether EBSL was given special treatment, Ramlogan said he was unaware that EBSL was owned by a PP financier. “I don’t know why they were awarded the contract. I can presume the other company’s bid was higher, but I’m sure it’s not because they are financiers,” he said.