People will be treated fairly as they come before the Las Alturas commission of enquiry and no one will be “hounded, the commission’s chairman, retired justice Mustapha Ibrahim, has assured. He also said If there was a change of government next year and a new government wished to halt the enquiry, it was free to do so. Ibrahim made the comments in response to questions after commission’s members were sworn in by President Anthony Carmona at President’s House yesterday.
The enquiry was announced last month by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan following concerns about the former PNM administration’s $40 million Las Alturas housing project which was demolished owing to myriad deficiencies. The enquiry, which was announced by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, will determine if there are grounds for criminal or civil action concerning the project.
Other appointees are structural engineering expert Anthony Farrell, who is past president of T&T’s Association of Professional Engineers and structuring engineering consultant and retired UWI lecturer Myron W Chin. Secretary to the commission is Lorraine Lutchmedial. Ibrahim has over 51 years’ legal experience, Farrell has 46 years’ experience in his field and Chin 51 years’ experience as a structural engineer and retired lecturer.
Speaking after yesterday’s function, Lutchmedial said the first hearing on preliminary matters would be on December 8 at the Caribbean Court of Justice courtroom, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain. Ibrahim said that session would finalise various matters including whether daily or weekly hearings would be held. He said hearings may start around the second week of next month.
Ibrahim was unable to give a timeframe for conclusion since he said that would depend on various variables, including the length of testimonies, cross-examinations and other matters. Ibrahim said he had absolutely no views on claims the enquiry was politicising the issue and was meant to taint the Opposition Leader. He said there were safeguards to prevent politicising in the legislation on the issue.
Ibrahim added: “This has nothing to do with politics. We have been appointed as commissioners by the President and we have our remit from the Government to do what we have to do. “It is neither our duty or intent to hound, or permit the hounding of anyone. People will be treated very fairly as they come before us.” Asked about Rowley specifically, Ibrahim said: “You can rest assured there will be no hounding of anyone. We deal with law and the matters relating to the remit.”
Apart from making recommendations, he said the enquiry would also formulate conclusions to see if there was any evidence before it to warrant sending it to the Director of Public Prosecutions or Attorney General for civil proceedings.
About Ibrahim
Ibrahim, a legal luminary, entered law in 1962 and has served as a judge, Appeal Court judge and acted as Chief Justice. He has lectured at UWI, served in the Bahamas and also on an enquiry in St Lucia and is a national award holder. Farrell has a lengthy history in the field of structural engineering in the region as well as T&T. Over 1975 to 1985 he was responsible for the Financial Complex in Port-of-Spain as well as other work on many significant buildings around the capital and environs.
He is affiliated with engineering bodies in the UK and US. Chin’s lengthy credentials also include regional and international work.
