Investigators to meet DPP on Hart probe: report

A report in the Newsday newspaper in Trinidad Tuesday states that police have gathered enough information on former UDeCOTT boss Calder Hart and are ready to meet with Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Roger Gaspard.

Officers from the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB) have been conducting investigations into Hart, who resigned his post as executive chairman of UDeCOTT and left the country.

The probe has been in connection with allegations that Hart awarded contracts to a company which had at least two directors with family links to Hart through his wife, Sherrine.

The report said investigators have been unable to interview Hart but are confident that the information they have gathered so far is enough to present to the DPP.

The paper said investigators have received substantial information through a paper trail of family links between Hart and Sunway Construction (Caribbean) Ltd.

UDeCOTT awarded the Malaysian firm a $368 million contract for the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower in Port-of-Spain.

It quoted Gaspard as saying that he is ready to meet with ACIB officers.

“It is certainly possible and they definitely can complete their inquiries without interviewing Mr Hart...they will have to come to me and I will have to examine the information gathered and determine what directives are to be given, as to ascertain what is to happen next.

"It might just be that they have reached a stage where they feel the need to seek advice."

The DPP will have to decide if to initiate any criminal proceedings against Hart.