T&T police seeking Interpol help to find Calder Hart and Rev. Juliana Pena

Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs has asked Interpol for help in locating former Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (UDeCOTT) chairman Calder Hart and Rev Juliana Pena, the spiritual adviser to former Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

Gibbs revealed the information at at news conference in Port of Spain Wednesday.

"We do have international partners that we work with regularly and could assist us with any information we may need that goes beyond the borders of Trinidad and Tobago," Gibbs told reporters.

The head of Anti-Corruption and Investigations Bureau (ACIB) and the Fraud Squad told reporters the investigations into UDeCOTT and the Guanapo church are "extensive, intricate and complex, and actively being pursued by police".

ACP Phillip confirmed that Interpol is involved and "at the appropriate time all the persons involved in these matters would be interviewed."

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan is on record as saying that his predecessor, John Jeremie, told him that the police have contact information for Hart and that if they had difficulties reaching the former UDeCOTT boss they could contact him.

Hart resigned and left the country on March 5 after a meeting with former Prime Minister Patrick Manning. 

The Canadian national had been implicated in the award of contracts to family members. He is also the subject of a criminal investigation relating to the controversial Lighthouse of Our Lord Jesus Christ Church at the Heights of Guanapo in Arima, which is owned by Pena.


Read related story: Kamla connects Manning, Hart to Guanapo church, reports matter to Police, DPP and IC 

Pena left the country last month, stating that she would not return to Trinidad and Tobago because the country had treated her badly.

Ramlogan told reporters Wednesday he was "astonished" that Pena left the country without the knowledge of police and officers being able to interview her. He also expressed concern with the police investigation into the Guanapo church.

"Ms Pena seemed to be an elusive ghost that the police seem unable to catch, notwithstanding the fact that she has been wanted by the police for questioning in connection with a pending criminal investigation.

"I'm not satisfied because this matter has been dragged on for far too long, and the media seemed to have done a better job as to investigating regarding the source of funds for the construction of the church than the police," he said.

"One would have thought, for example, that the Immigration authorities could have been properly alerted to be on the lookout for Ms Pena, with the intention that the police can detain her for questioning on the grounds that she has, thus far, failed to cooperate by presenting herself to the police to give a statement.

"If suspects are allowed to roam freely and filter in and out of the country at their own whims and fancy, there shall be an inevitable breakdown in law and order.

"People wanted by the police for questioning, in connection with a criminal investigation, cannot be allowed to avoid questioning with such blatant disregard for the powers of the police.

"Such a sad state of affairs would bring the Police Service into further disrepute and erode public confidence and the ability of the Police Service to properly conduct their investigations," Ramlogan told the Express.