(Trinidad Guardian) At least one senior government official and an attorney have come under the microscope of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The duo, sources said, have been purchasing commercial and residential properties located in the western, southern and northern parts of the country. Information reaching the FIU is that some of the properties are being transferred to the attorney’s name, as well as the official’s wife.
The properties—worth millions—have been classed as prime property and paid for in cash. Of concern to the FIU, sources said, are the shell companies being incorporated to purchase the properties which lists the official, his wife and two other attorneys as directors. One of the attorneys is the son of a businessman and has appeared in several sittings of an ongoing financial inquiry.
The most recent residential purchase was made two months ago in the Fairways, Maraval district, where a condominium was bought, while a commercial building was also purchased in the St Clair area. Sources said a dossier of documents including copies of the deeds to the above listed properties, as well as other properties have been submitted to the FIU.
It was only on Thursday, that Justice Minister Herbert Volney told the T&T Guardian in an interview: “I have heard some stories that I do not want to believe. I want to say that I am not a money-in-bag minister.” Volney was responding to comments made over the proclamation about Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act 2011 which the House of Representatives voted to repeal in a special sitting on Wednesday.
The intelligence unit is headed by Susan Francois, while Nigel Stoddard is the deputy director of the unit. In August, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said that 300 reports involving suspicious-activity transactions were made to the FIU. He was speaking in the Senate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago and Anti-Terrorism) Bill 2012.
