Desalcott, Trinidad

Construction
Bid-Rigging, Money Laundering

Procurement Process is Drained Dry

The Desalination Company of Trinidad and Tobago is the largest operating desalination facility in the western hemisphere that was formed to sell desalinated seawater to a government owned agency from 2000 to 2024 on a build, own and operate basis.

The Attorney General retained Lindquist to investigate allegations of bid-rigging in a process that lead to award of the plant construction to Hafeez Karamath Engineering Services Ltd and Ionics, Inc., based in the U.S. in August 1999 at a cost of US$121 million. Lindquist retained Paul Kelly and Tom Daly to assist with the mandate.

In 2006 criminal charges were laid, but in 2010 after the passing of Hafeez Karamath the charges were dropped.

Read Press Article ‘Top Officials to be charged’ dated March 17, 2006

Read ‘Charges against dead Karamath dropped’ dated June 17, 2010.