A lawsuit filed by two former United National Congress financiers, who are wanted in the United States to face a series of criminal charges arising out of the Piarco Airport Development Project, was yesterday dismissed as being premature.
By Darren BahawLawyers representing the accused men, Ishwar Galbaransingh, the chairman of Northern Construction Limited, and Steve Ferguson, a former executive of the Maritime Financial Group, almost immediately signalled their intention to appeal the ruling.
Commenting on the ruling, Attorney General John Jeremie, who was a main focus of attack in the legal proceedings said: "The judgment is consistent with my understanding of the law and the nation needs to bring closure to this matter."
Galbaransingh and Ferguson had claimed that Jeremie's authorisation to initiate an extradition request from the United States government was motivated by improper and ulterior political motives, and that he instigated the US to bring charges against them.
They also claimed that Jeremie gave his stamp of approval "to serve improper and ulterior purposes and in pursuit of a political campaign to discredit (them) and the Opposition (UNC)". To support their contention, they said Jeremie was guilty of actual bias by his past conduct and public statements on the merits of the extradition request.
In his ruling, Justice Nolan Bereaux said he had examined the newspaper reports which the men relied upon, and found that they did not disclose any bias or merit in their contentions. He added that the allegation against Jeremie relating to an improper and ulterior motive was also without merit.
"The suggestion that Mr Jeremie somehow instigated the American authorities to charge (Galbaransingh and Ferguson) is without substance. The evidence reveals otherwise. The United States authorities did their own investigation and pursuant to the (Mutual Legal Assistance) Treaty, there was a sharing of evidence.
"The evidence in the record of the case reveals that the United States prosecution has a strong and powerful basis for bringing the indictments. All the co-conspirators have pleaded guilty. There is at least one of them willing to testify against them. That alone is enough to rebut any suggestion of instigator of the indictment by the Attorney General," the judgment stated.
