MINISTER of Public Administration Allyson West on Friday said Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard could very well have safely used the building at 13-17 Park Street, Port of Spain, upon which the Government had spent $30 million to outfit, as she questioned his concerns about security in that area.
She issued a statement in response to a statement on Thursday by Senior Counsel Ramesh Maharaj who supported Gaspard's decision not to move in, a decision which had brought condemnation by the Prime Minister and Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, after $55 million in sum was paid on upgrades and rental.
West said that after $30 million was spent outfitting the building, efforts were made to salvage those costs by the actual occupation and use of the building for the intended purpose by the DPP's office but on a determination this would not occur the leasing arrangement was ended to avoid further losses.
"It should be noted that several very senior and at-risk office holders occupy and perform their functions out of offices that do not have the level of security on which
the DPP was insisting for Park Court," West said. Special Branch reports are periodically received on such issues which are assessed and appropriate action taken.
"The Government did what it considered to be reasonable in the circumstances," she said, "and maintains the position that the offices could have been occupied and used, and if the DPP felt particularly exposed in an office in the north-east corner, he had the option of occupying a space other than that glass enclosed corner office on the top floor of the building that was most visible to the areas of Port of Spain that he considered to be of greatest concern."
West also queried Maharaj's suggestion that Gaspard had not known the Government had entered into a rental agreement in 2019 for the property.
She said the process regarding the identification, assessing, negotiation and rental of the premises – Park Court – began in 2014 and spanned two administrations, being handled by the Property and Real Estate Services Division (PRESD), which now falls under her ministry.
West said the PRESD received a memorandum in September 25, 2014 from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs (MAGLA), saying the DPP had indicated an interest in the property for the relocation of the North Office of the DPP.
"Attached to that memo was one of Sept 22, 2014, under the hand of the DPP, Mr Roger Gaspard, advising that 'after due consideration, I am of the view that the
office of the Director of Public Prosecutions could and should be accommodated at those premises.'
"On the basis of those representations, PRESD commenced its process of assessing and rental of the building. The first offer on record was made to the landlord, Park Court Ltd, by letter dated July 30, 2015 and a draft Cabinet Note of August 13, 2015 was prepared."
She said that process was particularly protracted largely because during negotiations the DPP's team and/or MAGLA
