United National Congress financier Ishwar Galbaransingh says he did not purchase his freedom. Galbaransingh, a businessman, said in a brief telephone interview and also denied that he’s one of the “boys” mentioned in the e-mails presented by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in Parliament on Monday. Galbaransingh was asked whether he gave monies to government officials in a bid to ensure he escaped the confines of the law. He denied doing this.
Asked whether he contributed towards the People’s Partnership Government during the election campaign, Galbaransingh said, “No, no, no. I did not fund any monies for the People’s Partnership Government.” Galbaransingh, when asked whether he was one of the “boys” who was referred to in the e-mails, said, “That’s none of my business. I stand clear of people’s business. This matter is sub judice and I have no comment to make.” On Monday, one of the e-mails read by Rowley was dated Saturday, September 8, 2012.
The e-mail was sent from the address “anan@gmail.com” to the addresses “captaingarygriffith@hotmail.com,” “roodal@tstt.net.tt” and “surujrambachan@hotmail.com” with the subject “Help needed.” The e-mail read: “There’s an article a reporter from Guardian called me about involving our boys. I need you to get your feelers out there and nip the story. Call the Sunday Guardian Editor and threaten her with ads if you have to just make sure the article does not come out. Will call you later.”
Rowley, during a no-confidence motion against the Government, produced a series of e-mails which appear to implicate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, Works and Local Government Minister Suruj Rambachan and national security adviser Gary Griffith in colluding with regard to Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act.
Last year, the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act 2011 was proclaimed by then president George Maxwell Richards in a move to ending preliminary inquiries in the local courts. Certain parts of the act were supposed to come into effect on January 1, 2013. The president’s proclamation was gazetted on August 30. With the act in effect, the Preliminary Enquiry Act would have been replaced and nullified the need for a preliminary inquiry to be held in relation to matters filed indictably.
However, the act bore a controversial clause—Section 34(2)—which stated that if after ten years the case wasn’t heard, the accused could apply to a judge to have the charges dismissed. This clause would have seen Galbaransingh, Ferguson and several other supporters of the Government escaping the law. The controversial Section 34 was subsequently repealed and then minister of justice Herbert Volney was fired after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused him of “misleading Cabinet.”
Galbaransingh, along with Steve Ferguson, is wanted in the United States on a series of money laundering charges. The two were first indicted in 2005 in a Miami Federal Court on numerous fraud and money laundering charges, stemming from alleged bid rigging between 1996 and 2005 on contracts for the Piarco International Airport.