PNM Govt racks up billion-dollar legal fees
Close to one billion dollars has been paid out by the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government for legal services and fees in the last seven years.According to documents obtained by the Sunday Guardian, UNC activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj and his legal team, led by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC, spent six months working on a Freedom of Information Act request which stated that the PNM paid out $799.8 million between September 2015 to January 25, 2022. However, that figure does not include legal fees paid by all government ministries and state enterprises during that time frame.In October 2015, Al-Rawi estimated that $1 billion was paid to attorneys by ministries and state enterprises during the People’s Partnership stint in office.Al-Rawi was critical of the PP administration for spending such large sums on legal fees and promised to be more economical by using in-house lawyers from the Solicitor General's department.Interestingly, according to the documents, the most expensive legal payment made to a foreign organization was not to a firm but to a company.
According to the document, the payment was to Irish company Vertical Aviation LLC in a 2019 lawsuit settlement of $37.125 million.
According to the document, the payment was to Irish company Vertical Aviation LLC in a 2019 lawsuit settlement of $37.125 million.
During a 2016 budget debate, the then AG said going forward, senior counsels would only be hired where required and promised that all expenses would be reviewed.
*The highest-earning attorney during that period was former PNM attorney general Russell Martineau, SC, who was paid $21.845 million. Martineau became a senior counsel in 1993. He’s also served as President of the Law Association
*The second-highest earning attorney was Claude Denbow, SC, who earned $17.526 million. Denbow was appointed a senior counsel in 1998.
*Fayard Hosein, SC, who represented the Office of the Attorney General in several high-profile matters, earned $17.404 million.
*Current Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, was paid $13.027 million before taking up office. The former president of the Law Association–who specialises in labour relations, constitutional and public law and fraud–was appointed as a senior counsel in 2003.
*Deborah Peake, SC, was paid $10.655 million.
*Gilbert Peterson, SC, the chairman of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, received $10.641 million.
*Jason Mootoo–$9.986 million.
*Seenath Jairam, SC,–$9.252 million.
*Netram Kowlessar, head of the Central Authority Unit in the AG’s office under the PP government–$9.075 million.
*The second-highest earning attorney was Claude Denbow, SC, who earned $17.526 million. Denbow was appointed a senior counsel in 1998.
*Fayard Hosein, SC, who represented the Office of the Attorney General in several high-profile matters, earned $17.404 million.
*Current Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, was paid $13.027 million before taking up office. The former president of the Law Association–who specialises in labour relations, constitutional and public law and fraud–was appointed as a senior counsel in 2003.
*Deborah Peake, SC, was paid $10.655 million.
*Gilbert Peterson, SC, the chairman of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, received $10.641 million.
*Jason Mootoo–$9.986 million.
*Seenath Jairam, SC,–$9.252 million.
*Netram Kowlessar, head of the Central Authority Unit in the AG’s office under the PP government–$9.075 million.
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Halliwell , you have a relative in this select group....
