No commissions paid for laptop computers: Gopeesingh

Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh told the House of Representatives Friday that no firm was paid a commission for the 20,300 laptops ordered from HP in the United States for use by high schools students.

Gopeesingh also disclosed that a local company - Digi Data - is the local agent for the laptop computers and will be serving the computers on behalf of HP.

The minister was responding to question from MP Colm Imbert.

Gopeesingh said each laptop cost Government $4,000. He explained that the total package price was was $81.2 million. He said Imbert's question was irrelevant since the government had made a full disclosure on the transaction in full page newspaper advertisements.

"We in the People’s Partnership have nothing to hide,” he said.

Gopeesingh said the National Information and Communication Technology Co Ltd acted as the agent for Government and HP. He added that the agreement was for HP to do after-sales service, through its service centre, and that it would also recruit a service depot locally.

Gopeesingh said the selected service centre is Digi Data.

The opposition also wanted information on the cost of the Prime Minister's trip to New York from August 13 to 22. House leader Dr Roodal Moonilal told the house it cost $400,000, adding that the trip was part of the PM's Investment outreach Program aimed at rebranding Trinidad and Tobago.

He also explained that three cabinet ministers on that trip used their own funds to pay for expenses.