Piarco International Airport, Trinidad

Construction
Bid-Rigging, Money Laundering

A Flight into the Procurement Process

In September 2000, the Attorney General of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago retained Lindquist to conduct an investigation into allegations of corruption and procurement fraud regarding the construction of the country’s Piarco international airport at a cost of some US$110 million. Lindquist called in Hans Marschdorf and Rod Stamler to assist with the mandate. Our interim report was issued within two months on the Friday prior to the country’s general election held in early December 2000. The AG’s political party won the election, but the investigation did not continue. Thereafter in 2001, the AG and two other ministers resigned from Cabinet over the inability to obtain funds for the Anti-Corruption Unit to continue this investigation.

Consequently, a new election was held in December 2001, resulting in a tie between the two political parties. The Country’s President selected the leader of the former opposition party to be the new prime minister. Within weeks, Lindquist was requested to return and the investigation was re-opened. The subject of several articles in the Trinidad press, the investigation resulted in the filing of criminal charges in Trinidad and a lawsuit in the State of Florida. It is public record that four persons in the State of Florida plead guilty. The matter is currently before the courts in Trinidad.

Read Press Article dated November 30, 2001 ‘Lindquist report on Piarco Airport: FRAUD!’

Read Press Article dated January 5, 2002 ‘Lindquist gets ready to rumble’