Airports Authority responds to Hinds, says opposition member misrepresented facts

The Airports Authority of Trinidad & Tobago (AATT) on Wednesday issued a formal statement in response to a claim made in the Senate the day before by Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds.

Hinds told legislators that Transport Minister Devant Maharaj paid four farmers $2.5 million to cut grass at Piarco International Airport. However, the minister told reporters during the tea break that Hinds should make the statement without the protection of Parliament.

Maharaj denied the claim. “No minister awards any contract. I don’t know if that obtained under the PNM," Maharaj added, noting that the board of the Airports Authority awarded the contract, which he said "has undergone a rigorous investigation, in which the lowest person who tendered won the contract.”

Hinds also claimed that the minister was responsible for a $1.5 million contract to paint the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) terminal building in San Juan. Again, Maharaj dismissed the claim, calling it "another mischievous statement".

The minister pointed out that the contract was not for $1.5 million and included repairs to the roof of the terminal and infrastructure work within the mall itself.

The PTSC issued its own statement Wednesday. It said: "The PTSC wishes to state categorically that the contract to R2K Engineering Company Limited was awarded in accordance with and in adherence to the prescribed rules and regulations for the award of any contract by the Corporation. 


"Furthermore, it was erroneous on the part of Senator Hinds to infer that the contract was awarded for solely painting of the facility in the amount of $1.5 million without confirming the veracity of his information...

"The total monies expended to date is $1,055,103.78 with an outstanding balance of $382,396.22 still to be paid to the contractor on the completion of works at the facility."

In its statement issued Wednesday the AATT said Hinds misrepresented the true facts about the award of a contract to maintain the grounds surrounding the Airport.

The full statement from the AATT is published below:

"The Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT) has denied all allegations made by Opposition Senator, Fitzgerald Hinds in the Senate yesterday afternoon. The Authority wishes to state that the statements made by Senator Fitzgerald Hinds are a desperate and vicious attempt to misrepresent the true facts.

The Authority wishes to make the following points:-

1. The AATT is an independent body exercising independent powers
2. The Airports Authority developed a policy on maintenance practices in order to maintain the grounds surrounding the Airport in an acceptable manner consistent with international standards. Because of that policy as it is necessary to maintain the grass surrounding the airport at a manageable and acceptable height according to International Civil Aviation (ICAO) guidelines, the Authority has from time to time awarded contracts to comply with this
3. The issue of the award of the contract was done by the Board by requests for proposals and advertisements for grass cutting and the maintenance of the Piarco International Airport
4. The Authority maintains that at all times, the Board acted independently without any directions from anyone. The Board minutes clearly reflect that the Board of AATT acted in utmost good faith. Members of the Board considered the matter in great detail and conducted a thorough review of the evaluation process done by Management. In the circumstances the Board acted independently within the confines of the highest standards of corporate governance and ethical probity
5. The Board exercising its independent authority awarded the contract to the lowest bidder and their work experience was considered proven and acceptable by the Management tenders evaluation team
6. The tender eventually awarded to the lowest bidder was approximately $700,000 less than their closest competitor
7. In the circumstances, the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, wishes to state categorically and refute categorically the baseless and substance less allegations by Opposition Senator, Fitzgerald Hinds
8. The Authority wishes to denounce such a flagrant and desperate abuse of parliamentary privilege and strongly condemns any false allegations made by Senator Fitzgerald Hinds on the tendering process and the evaluation of contracts done by the management of AATT