NP quashes $40 million contract to PM’s friends

Port-of-Spain: Days after Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan told the country that he had advised that a controversial $40 million contract to the friends of the prime minister issued by National Petroleum (NP) be quashed, the state owned company is now saying that it has complied.

NP says its public tender for the lease of 20 tractors for haulage as advertised in January this year, has been quashed.

The company says that invitation to tender bids in respect of the contact would be reissued in due course. The state company says it remains committed to serving the people of Trinidad and Tobago and striving towards the adoption of best business practice in achieving its objectives.

The contract to Gopaul and Company which is owned by maureen and ralph gopaul friends of the prime minister was called into question by CDS Transport through its attorneys and a pre-protocol letter was sent to NP and Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, questioning NP's decision to award the contract to Gopaul and Company.

Last Thursday the Attorney General admitted that he had found deficiencies in the procedures in the award of the contract on NP's part and ordered that it be quashed and bids reopened.