Civil Aviation Director confirms airport lights necessary, contracts above board

The Director General of Civil Aviation in Trinidad and Tobago, Ramesh Lutchmedial, confirmed to JYOTI on Monday that Transport Minister Jack Warner acted legally when he signed off on two contracts for upgrades to the lighting for the airports at Piarco and Trinidad and Tobago.

Lutchmedial also confirmed that the lighting system, which includes illumination of 11,000 feet of runway, is in critical need of an upgrade and that there is a real risk that the lights could fail.

Lutchmedial said he was a member of the previous Airport Authority board that worked on the tendering process and that everything was done according to the established rules. 

He added that considering the urgency of the situation and the fact that the proper process was followed Warner acted within his legal capacity to sign off on the contracts.

With respect to the cost, Lutchmedial said this was established during the tendering process and the award of the contract was recommended based on the established tendering rules.

Lutchmedial has worked at the airport for more than 40 years and is in charge of monitoring all safety and security systems at the country's airports.

JYOTI asked Lutchmedial if there is a clear and present danger of an accident. 

"Absolutely," he said, adding that the lights could fail during a landing. Trinidad and Tobago has an obligation to ensure that all its system at both airports are up to standards established by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), he said.

He reiterated three things:

• the lighting upgrade is urgent and necessary
• the process began with the previous board and followed all the proper rules
• the minister acted legally and within his right in the absence of a board

Lutchmedial also said the contractor, Harry Persad, is fully qualified and experienced for the job having worked on the lighting at the airports for 30 years.