CLICO probe cost T&T taxpayers $109m

(Trinidad Express) The CLICO Enquiry cost taxpayers $109 million, of which $89 million constituted legal fees.
The documentation was laid yesterday in Parliament, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, in the name of the Prime Minister, by Leader of Government Business Minister Camille Robinson Regis, and covered expenses for the Colman Enquiry into CLICO and the Hindu Credit Union (HCU).
Sir Anthony Colman, the lone commissioner, was paid 1.2 million pounds, British QCs Peter Carter 2.5 million pounds and Edwin Glasgow 1.16 million pounds.
Marlon Mason was paid 800,602 pounds and Ian Marshall 450,707 pounds.
The foreign professional fees totalled TT$62,056,877.90.
The second highest component was the fees paid to four junior counsel: Gerald Ramdeen — $5.8 million; Shankar Bidaisee — $9.5 million; Celeste Jules — $3.3 million; and Varun Debideen — $6.1 million.
This totalled $24.8 million.
Colman had complained that of the three local attorneys, “two proved to be so incompetent, inexperienced or lacking in any sense of professional responsibility that they became unavailable or only partially available”.
In terms of the cost of criminal prosecution, Israel Khan SC was paid $989,000, Wayne Sturge $567,600 and Lemuel Murphy $250,000, while Avory Sinanan SC was paid $254,250.
The cost of airfare amounted to $3 million, while hotel accommodation at Hyatt Regency totalled $1 million.
The cost of broadcasting the hearings was $1.2 million, while CAT reporting services amounted to $1 million and the PA system and audio $547,515.
Other significant costs included the cost of renting 11 Albion Street ($5.4 million) and the cost of salaries paid to secretariat staff ($3.6 million).
Cost of publication of notices totalled $781,658, catering costs were $294,736.96 and the cost of constructing the website $137,117.
Cost of renting a vehicle for the chairman was $102,848 and the cost of renting photocopiers and other supplies $787,661.85, while janitorial services amounted to $441,120.46