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alexk
Guest
Finance Minister Colm Imbert will lay in Parliament appropriate documents pertaining to the acquisition and procurement of the controversial US17.4 million Galleon Passage, which was purchased by the Government to service the limping seabridge.
This was revealed by Communications Minister Stuart Young at yesterday’s post Cabinet media briefing.
Young said having come out of a heated Senate session this week over the vessel’s acquisition “the narratives raised by the Opposition have fallen flat. What will happen is very shortly the Minister of Finance will lay the appropriate documents in Parliament for everyone to see. I don’t think there is any issue there whatsoever.”
He said the documents will make all of the issues clear. On Tuesday, Senator Wade Mark piloted a motion against the procurement process of the Galleons Passage, stating that it was not done above board.
Mark also called on the Government to lay in the Lower House the vessel’s two valuation reports.
Young assured that the purchase was done with accountability and transparency.
“There is nothing abnormal with the procurement. A small Cabinet sub-committee of which I was a part was given a mandate to find a vessel. We were in an emergency situation.
A vessel was found. And it was a good deal for T&T.”
As for the Darrly Smith report, Young said it was premature for this to be released because “certain persons whose names are in it should be given an opportunity to look at it and respond to it.” (See Page A8)
He also said the OAS report, done by Ambassador Christopher Thomas, will also be laid in Parliament, but could not say when.