Former attorney general (AG) Bridgid Annisette-George believes the Facilities Management Unit (FMU), which is responsible for monitoring and reviewing security tapes from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), should be removed from within the precincts of the Attorney General’s Office.
Annisette-George, who served under the People’s National Movement (PNM) administration from November 2007-May 2009, made the comment in response to questions about the FMU and whether such a unit should be housed in the AG’s building. In responding, Annisette-George asked: “Isn’t the DPP office an independent unit?
Annisette-George said she did not think it proper that such monitoring should be allowed to be based within the AG’s office because of the importance of the DPP’s office in the administration of justice. “I would not think it proper. The DPP is a constituted body separate and apart from the AG and that was done so the powers of the DPP will be protected.” The former AG added that any monitoring of the DPP’s office vested in the AG’s office was wrong and as such the FMU should be based elsewhere.
Sources said the tapes from security cameras at the DPP’s office were lodged within the AG’s office. Another former AG, who did not wish to be identified, said such a unit should have its own facility. “Now that we know it’s there, give the unit its own headquarters,” the former AG said.
Explaining that the footage from the tapes could be viewed by “individuals” to get a sense of “the goings on at the DPP’s office,” the former AG asked whether if a senior officer asked to view the tapes, the individual tasked with monitoring could say no. “My guess is that the manager will have to oblige with the request,” the former AG said.
On Sunday, facilities manager at the AG’s Office, Kyle Thomas, in an e-mail to the media, said he has been employed in this position since May 3, 2010, and upon recommendation by the permanent secretary, the security contract for both the offices of the DPP and AG were tendered. Following the tender, the Executive Bodyguard Services Ltd (EBSL) was awarded the contract at a cost of $8,413,344.00, plus VAT of $1,262,001.60.
EBSL, T&T Guardian investigations revealed, was sold by its former owner Samuel Stafford to a well-known People’s Partnership financier for US$14 million. Sources said had they known that EBSL was sold and bought by the financier, then questions and concerns would have been raised during the tendering process. However, questions still arose over the sale of the company, since despite being sold, Stafford’s name is still listed as the owner of EBSL.
However, Thomas’ e-mail also appeared on several blog and political Web sites and was sent via the e-mail address agttinfodesk@gmail.com. The contents of the e-mail stated that tendering for the security contract was a “lengthy process ensued in accordance with the established practice and procedure of the CTB for the award of a new security contract.” The e-mail further stated that allegations of there being a breach in security never occurred under EBSL.
But when contacted and asked why he had disseminated the contents of his response on the issue to several political sites, Thomas said: “I only sent it to two people, yourself and another reporter at the Express, since I knew you both asked me questions on the same matter. I have no idea how it reached on other sites.”
Adding that he did not write the e-mail himself, Thomas said he “just clarified the information in the e-mail” before sending it via his Yahoo account to the “two reporters.” Communication specialist at the office of the AG Satish Ragoo, when asked whether the AG’s office had used the e-mail address agttinfodesk@gmail.com to send the e-mail and if it was an official address used by the office of the AG, said: “I really cannot say anything on that. I have no idea about the letter being sent to the sites. I will have to check to verify.”
Communications manager for the AG Cecly-Ann Mitchell, when questioned, said, “I don’t know anything about that e-mail address.”