AG tells Parliament PNM "family" earned $$ in Uff inquiry

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan told Parliament Monday a firm with connections to the opposition People's National Movement (PNM) received a large chunk of the legal fees paid to lawyers to represent the government at the UFF Commission of Enquiry.

Ramlogan said the state paid $1,170,432 to the law firm, Fitzwilliam Stone, Furness-Smith & Morgan and Stone. He said the sister-in-law and brother of a former PNM government minister were partners in the firm.

The AG was responding to a question from opposition leader Keith Rowley who wanted information relating to the expenditure on the inquiry into UDeCOTT and the construction sector. Rowley also asked Ramlogan to identify those who received money from the state.

Ramlogan obliged. He said lawyers collected a total of $4,799,510.31. They included:

• Douglas Mendes— $573,000
• Michael Quamina— $626,750
• Garvin Nicholas—$300,000
• Kerwin Garcia— $530,000

“The names are no strangers to the other side. They are part of the family,” Ramlogan said. He said the sum of £123,144.66 pounds remains outstanding to Tom Richards and Michael Bell, as well as legal fees to other attorneys.