American justice came swift for three foreigners who participated in an international criminal conspiracy during the Piarco Airport development project.
By Darren BahawAll three were yesterday sentenced to serve jail time by a United States Federal Court judge here in downtown Miami and three other foreigners -Eduardo Hillman-Waller, Rene Diaz de Villegas and Armando Paz-will know their fate next week.
Only one of the prisoners expressed remorse for the crime and apologized to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
As a result of the latest development, United States authorities are now anxious to proceed with some 84 charges against two Trinidadians, Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh, and Galbaransingh's company, Northern Construction Ltd.
According to the American charges, Ferguson and Galbaransingh allegedly used their political and economic influence to facilitate the criminal scheme under the former UNC administration.
Ferguson and Galbaransingh are currently challenging their extradition to the United States and it was only last week that Justice Nolan Bereaux reserved his ruling on their lawsuit to sometime in April.
In November 2005, a federal grand jury returned the indictment against the eight men and two companies, charging them with conspiring to engage in wire fraud by rigging the bid process to secure lucrative construction contracts for the airport project.
By comparison, local charges brought against several individuals including Ferguson, Galbaransingh, and former government Minister Brian Kuei Tung remain unresolved after four and a half years.
Another set of local criminal proceedings charging two other former government ministers and several other individuals is yet to get off the ground in the magistrate's court.
Attorney General John Jeremie in a brief response to the Miami sentencing said yesterday:
"It is a vindication of the government's resolve to fight corruption everywhere and wherever it may exist. It sends a powerful signal to those who hold public office of the heavy responsibility that goes with it."
As part of the plea agreements reached with United States prosecutors several of the foreigners have agreed to co-operate with law enforcement authorities to help tighten the case against several other individuals who benefited from the airport fraud and build cases against those not yet caught.
All remaining charges against the three men who were sentenced yesterday were discontinued by United States District Attorney Richard Gregorie.
Cuban-born American citizen Raul Gutierrez Jr, whose firm was awarded a US$30 million contract to provide specialty equipment-such as elevators, escalators, security systems, X-ray machines, loading bridges and public address systems-to the airport project was sentenced to six years in jail while two minions, Aruban Richard Lacle and Colombian Leonardo Arturo Mora-Rodriguez were sentenced to 16 months and six months respectively for bank and wire fraud.
The are all to surrender to prison authorities on March 12 to begin serving their sentences.
Gutierrez, who still faces criminal charges in Trinidad and Tobago, will also have to sell his Florida home, jewelry, precious artwork and surrender funds in several accounts to satisfy a US$18.5 million owed to a consortium of seven Miami banks as well as repay the government of Trinidad and Tobago several million dollars in restitution.
The afternoon sentencing hearing took place before American Federal Court judge Paul Huck, presiding in a packed courtroom at the James Lawrence King Federal Justice Building in downtown Miami.
In addition to his jail sentence, the judge ordered Gutierrez to undergo five years of supervised release, nine months house arrest as well as perform 1,250 hours of community service.
Lacle was ordered to pay a US$15,000 fine and surrender to immigration authorities after he completes his sentence.
He was also ordered to undergo three years supervised release and perform community service.
Mora-Rodriguez, the only one who expressed remorse, had half of his 12-month sentence suspended and was also ordered to pay a US$20,000 fine and perform community service.
Through his efforts, authorities uncovered a scheme to obstruct justice and although the judge described his co-operation as "more than ordinary" he was sent to prison.
The judge commended the efforts of both the prosecutor and the defence lawyers for their efforts to bring to an end the "complex case" in an efficient and civil manner.
