(Trinidad Express) As People’s National Movement political leader Keith Rowley celebrated his 64th birthday yesterday, the PNM-held Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation was levied upon for failure to pay a debt amounting to about TT$2 million.
Corporation chairman Edwin Gooding told the Express the first time the council knew about the debt was yesterday morning, when the bailiffs moved in to seize vehicles.
Gooding said the debt predated the current administration, which came into office in October 2013 after the local government elections.
He said the management of the corporation knew about it, but the council was never advised of this development.
“Once we came into office, we should have been apprised of the situation, but this particular matter was never brought to our attention,” Gooding said.
He said the debt, which originated in 2009, was owed to a scavenging contractor BK Holdings. Gooding said the contractor had got a judgment against the corporation.
“Once that kicks in, the corporation has to respond or else the plaintiff can seize assets,” he noted.
He said about six vehicles—five SUVs and a pick-up—were seized.
Former chairman of the corporation Khadijah Ameen said the levying upon the corporation was “unfortunate”.
She said she understood the contractor brought legal action in March and no one appeared in court to seek the corporation’s interest.
Ameen said the debt did not occur during her tenure, and that during her stint as chairman she was not aware of any legal claims made by that contractor.
“It is a lack of vigilance on the part of the chairman,” she said.
Ameen added once the corporation received legal notification, it would have been required to either challenge the contractor’s claim or to make arrangements to settle the debt.
She stated further she understood the Ministry of Local Government approved the funding to pay the debt, “so it is not that the corporation does not have the money to pay”.
Ameen said services to the burgesses would be affected.
She said the vehicles seized were acquired during her tenure, with the aim of beefing up the disaster-response capacity of the corporation.
“The corporation has to be more vigilant about defending its assets,” she stated, adding she remained concerned.
Attempts to get Gooding to respond to these claims were unsuccessful, as he was participating in a fund-raising boat cruise, organised by the friends of Diego Martin West, and which Rowley also attended.
However, he had stressed earlier the corporate secretary had brought nothing to his attention with respect to the claims made by the contractor against the council.
The Express contacted PNM general secretary Ashton Ford, who reiterated Gooding was not informed about the issue.
Ford said it was on record the council has been experiencing problems with the corporation CEO, who was appointed during Ameen’s chairmanship.
He said the council has accused the CEO of taking decisions without consultation.
Suggesting there was political motivation behind the withholding of information to the council about the $2 million debt and the legal claims arising, Ford reiterated the council was totally surprised by the levy action yesterday morning.
The PNM held the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation in 2009, but in 2010, the People’s Partnership took control following the June 2010 local government elections.
In October 2013, the PNM regained control of the corporation.
