PTSC broke rules, gave $1.5M in discounts to PNM for election 2010; no problem says Manning

PNM supporters get off a PTSC bus during the 2010 general election campaign

The Public Transport Services Corporation (PTSC) gave the People's National Movement (PNM) discounts amounting to more than $1.5 million for the uses of more than 150 buses during the 2010 general election campaign.

PTSC chairman Devant Maharaj released the details at a news conference at the PTSC head office Thursday. Maharaj accused the former PTSC board and members of PNM, whom he didn't name, of abusing the company’s assets and breaching protocol.

Maharaj said according to financial statements between March and May 2010, the PNM was charged $1.01 million for use of PTSC buses to transport party members to various meetings and rallies.

He said the regular charter rates should have brought in revenue of $2.5 million.
Maharaj said the PTSC sent the PNM invoices for $1.01 million but the party has only paid $929,850. Maharaj said the current board cannot find “a single board minute that authorised the discounts and use of the buses during the election period.”

He claimed that he cannot find any written contracts authorising discounts. He added that there is no evidence of what procedures were used to grant or gauge the discounts given to the PNM.

Former Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who was the PNM leader at the time told reporters in San Fernando, acknowledged that the PNM owes money to the PTSC. 

"Over the election campaign we used buses for the campaign. San Fernando, for instance, paid the buses in excess of that for the use of buses.

"Various constituencies used it. That is the mode of transportation in this country so, yes, we used buses. PTSC is a commercial organisation...We paid for the buses that we used and there may be a bill of $84,000, a small bill, which we will pay in due course. It is not a problem.”

The PTSC chairman said he has referred the matter to Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs for further investigation.

The PTSC's attorney, Om Lalla, said charges including misbehaviour in public office, conspiracy to defraud, civil debts and breaches of the Integrity Act could be laid.

PTSC’s assistant deputy general manager of operations Brian Juanette told reporters during the period March to May 2010 line managers were given direct instructions, bypassing the authority of the then general manager.

Juanette said line managers felt obligated to follow these orders, although many of them knew it was a breach of PTSC protocol.

He said for the final election rally on May 22, 2010, a PNM official asked for 175 buses. Juanette said he had to take 50 buses off normal duty, inconveniencing commuters.