The Piarco II preliminary inquiry has been adjourned to November 1. Magistrate Ejenny Espinet, who is presiding over the inquiry, set the adjournment during a short hearing at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court yesterday. The preliminary inquiry, which began more than ten years ago, relates to fraud charges arising out of the $1.6 billion Piarco Airport Development Project.
The adjournment was given in accordance with a stay of the proceedings granted by the Court of Appeal a little over two weeks ago. The stay was sought by businessmen Steve Ferguson and Ameer Edoo, who are subjects of the inquiry.
The other accused men are former finance minister Brian Kuei-Tung; former works minister Sadiq Baksh; Tyrone Gopee; former client representative in the Ministry of Works at the airport project Peter Cateau; former Airports Authority executive Amrith Maharaj; and chairman of Northern Construction Ltd Ishwar Galbaransingh.
On July 12, the Appeal Court ruled that it would be unfair for the inquiry to continue whilst the businessmen’s appeal over the repeal of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Offences) Act was pending. The appeal is scheduled to be heard by the Appeal Court between October 21 and 24. Ferguson first applied for a stay of the proceedings immediately after the High Court dismissed the group’s Section 34 constitutional motion on April 5.
In her ruling, Justice Mira Dean-Armorer dismissed Ferguson’s application but later entertained a similar one raised by Edoo and the insurance companies—Maritime Life (Caribbean) Ltd, Maritime General Insurance Co Ltd and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Co Ltd. However, their application was dismissed on April 29. At a hearing of the inquiry earlier this year, the group petitioned Espinet to adjourn the matter until the determination of the appeal but their request was denied.