DPP tell police chief to investigate Hart

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard told Acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) James Philbert to investigate Calder Hart, the former UDeCOTT executive chairman.

A media report Wednesday said Gaspard met Philbert Tuesday and gave him directives on how the police should proceed in the matter.

The DPP has received documents from the Congress of the People (COP) linking Hart’s wife, Sherrine, to directors a Malaysian company which won UDeCOTT contracts valued at about $820 million.

The Newsday newspaper said Gaspard will write Philbert formally advising him of the need for the investigation and that he will also write COP on the matter.

“I told him that this was a matter that warrants investigation and I was of the view that this was a serious matter,” Newsday quoted Gaspard as saying following his meeting with Philbert.

“I called the meeting to give the police certain directives as to where the investigation ought to go and how the investigation ought to proceed.”

The Police Service issued a media released Tuesday confirming that the commission and the DPP met.

This is the second time that Gaspard has submitted a dossier on Hart to Philbert. The first was sent to the DPP by Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh, which cited evidence that was presented at the Uff Commission of Inquiry.

Gopeesingh noted evidence by Carl Khan, the ex-husband of Hart's wife, who presented affidavits confirming the family links between the Harts and directors of CH development.

Commenting on the developments, COP leader Winston Dookeran said, “It is a small step but a comforting step. Obviously, this should have been done even when the allegations first came up in the Uff Commission and that’s why there will be an air of suspicion surrounding this."

He added that the party "will await eagerly the outcome of the investigation and hope that the results will be subject to the necessary public scrutiny.”