T&T Judge: PNM explain Balisier house funds

High Court Judge Margaret Mohammed has disclosed her reasons for granting a Preliminary Unexplained Wealth Order (PUWO) against the People’s National Movement (PNM), for it to reveal the financing for the renovation and construction of its Balisier House headquarters in Port-of-Spain. Justice Mohammed provided her written reasons yesterday, in response to a request by PNM general secretary Foster Cummings, who was served with the order on behalf of the party along with its trustees. Guardian Media understands Cummings has also applied for the order to be set aside, which is yet to be considered by Justice Mohammed.

In the 23-page document, Justice Mohammed ruled she was satisfied with the argument of ASP Ramdath Phillip, head of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) Legal Unit, who was authorized by Police Commissioner Allister Guervarro to make the application under the provisions of the Civil Asset Recovery and Management and Unexplained Wealth Act. Ironically, the legislation was introduced by the PNM while in government in 2019.Justice Mohammed said: “I was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence for the applicant (Phillip) to reasonably suspect that the total wealth of the respondents (PNM) exceeds the value of their lawfully obtained wealth.” “I am satisfied that the applicant had a reasonable suspicion that the costs for the construction of the new building and the costs for renovating the old building were obtained through the commission of one or more offences of bribery or corruption,” she added.

She referred to the party’s constitution, under which its Parliamentarians (MPs and Senators) are required to remit a percentage of their salaries, set by the general council, to the party. While she noted that the percentage was initially seven and a half per cent, former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley claimed the percentage stood at five per cent in March this year. Using the higher percentage, the number of PNM Parliamentarians between 2020 and 2025 and the average salaries of the officials, Justice Mohammed said the party would have collected a little over $500,000 per annum from the levy during the period. Justice Mohammed also referred to statements made by Rowley at a public meeting in Sangre Grande when he became leader in May 2010. At the time, Rowley claimed the party was in over $4 million debt. She also referenced Rowley’s claims that the party raised over $15 million through fundraising, including a long-running multi-car raffle.

More Notes:

 United Kingdom-based Berkeley Research Group, which estimated the total cost of the new building at approximately $118 million and claimed the cost of construction to date at $73 million.

The Judge noted that the TTPS claimed it received information from an informant that the successful bidder submitted a bid worth $68.3 million but reduced the price to $59 million.

She referenced that Phillip claimed the company received lucrative contracts from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) between 2019 and 2023, despite allegedly not being the lowest bidder.

She pointed to Phillip’s claims that the contract for Balisier House did not include several significant and costly elements of work, including the cost of steel and steel fabrication *, the construction of a basement and work on the building’s façade.

“Even if the total construction costs were limited to $59 million payable under the contract with the contractor (which there is strong reason to suspect they were not), the PNM had no obvious source of legitimate income from which to meet even those costs, and there are questions that call for an explanation as to how the PNM raised the money to pay for those works.”

Justice Mohammed also explained her reasons for granting an application for PNM leader Pennelope Beckles to be served with the order via post rather than in person. She noted that the TTPS detailed the difficulties it allegedly had in contacting Beckles and PNM chairman Marvin Gonzales after the order was granted on July 10.

Gonzales also set fire to an alleged copy of the documents while addressing a public meeting last week.

Gonzales reported to the Law Association

Guardian Media understands that Gonzales’ conduct in relation to the documents has been reported to the Law Association of T&T (LATT).

“To burn one (court order) in public, while declaring that the party will not be afraid of it, sends an unmistakable message. A message that a court order is worth exactly as much as the goodwill of whoever it happens to be served upon,” Mahabir said.

• *1 % contribution ? Interesting allegation

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