Just 13 days after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar endorsed a warning by Attorney General John Jeremie that no segment of society, including the so-called “one per cent,” was beyond the reach of the law, the owner of Blue Waters Limited, Dominic Hadeed and his wife Genevieve, were arrested by police yesterday.
Although it remained unclear up to last evening exactly what charges the couple were facing, the T&T Police Service (TTPS) issued a release confirming that their arrests had resulted from an ongoing investigation.
Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro confirmed the arrests, but all other related questions, even at a TTPS media briefing where the arrests were announced, went unanswered.
And even while the TTPS remained deliberately vague regarding the detention of the Westmoorings couple, their family and friends also maintained a ring of silence yesterday.
But Gilbert Petersen, SC, who is part of the legal team representing the couple, confirmed their arrests last evening.
He said the couple had been in police custody all day and when asked where they were being held, he said he was unaware, as officers had kept them on the move all day.
Petersen is joined by Faris Al-Rawi, SC, on the legal team. Contacted last evening, Al-Rawi claimed he was heading into a meeting and could not comment at the time.
However, Guardian Media was told that plainclothes police officers from a specialist unit arrived at the couple’s home around 5 am yesterday, following which they executed a search warrant and seized several electronic devices, including laptops and cellphones, from the occupants.
TTPS Public Information Officer ASP Owie Russell read a media release on the arrest during a media briefing at the Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. However, he said he was unable to answer questions relating to the arrest when pressed by journalists for more details.
The release, which was disseminated by the TTPS at 11.25 am, said, “Officers executed search warrants lawfully issued by the Supreme Court of Judicature at locations in Westmoorings and Trincity earlier today (yesterday).
“During the execution of these warrants, two individuals were detained and are currently assisting investigators with enquiries. No charges have been laid at this time.”
The TTPS emphasised that, “the execution of a warrant is a standard investigative procedure and does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing.”
“All actions taken by officers were conducted strictly within the parameters of the law, under judicial authority, and with full regard for the rights and reputational interests of all persons involved,” the release pointed out.
It added, “No conclusions should be drawn regarding the status of any individual until investigations are completed and any evidence is properly assessed in accordance with due process.
“As this matter remains active, no additional details can be disclosed at this stage.”
However, the TTPS assured that it “remains committed to conducting all investigations with professionalism, fairness, and respect for the rule of law.”
Efforts to secure comments from Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander and Opposition Leader Penny Beckles were unsuccessful yesterday, as they did not respond to calls and messages.
Aboud urges public
to avoid speculation
Outspoken businessman Gary Aboud yesterday urged the public not to speculate on the events which had led to the couple’s arrest.
“I understand the urgency of speaking out on a matter, but we must be responsible,” he said.
Pressed further, he added, “I don’t have enough information to make an informed comment. If I knew the circumstances, I could say something.”
He added, “All I could say now is that I support the pursuit of justice without exception.
“I support the police officers in the line of duty. Let us see what is the truth and let us support our men in uniform, regardless of the hurt and the feelings that we might have.”
When contacted yesterday, several business chambers said they had taken a decision to refrain from commenting on the detention of Hadeed and his wife.
They noted that there was uncertainty surrounding the matter, and too much speculation circulating publicly.
Representatives of the organisations said it remained unclear what Hadeed had been held for and in the absence of verified information from the relevant authorities, they preferred to reserve comment at this time.
What AG and PM said
In backing up claims made about the “one per cent” made by the Attorney General on June 12, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar also alleged that some current and former senior banking officials had facilitated foreign currency transactions for local businesses linked to international drug cartels.
She revealed that the Government had been receiving foreign assistance to track billions of US dollars reportedly funnelled out of T&T over the past 20 years, including money allegedly channelled through local businesses before being transferred to foreign accounts connected to organised crime.
“Some current and former high-ranking officials of local banks facilitated the sale of massive amounts of foreign currency to local businesses, which was then transferred to foreign accounts linked to cartels and also used to purchase real estate holdings and businesses in collaboration with cartels,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Her comments came the day after Jeremie used his contribution to the parliamentary debate on the extension the State of Emergency (SoE) to warn that Government intended to pursue not only street-level criminal gangs, but also white-collar figures believed to have profited from organised crime.
During the debate, Jeremie said Government’s focus will now extend to gangs, including those who describe themselves in percentages, such as the “one per cent,” which has been used to refer to the Syrian/Lebanese community in T&T.
“An infraction of the law by the powerful and the one per cent is no different from an infraction of the law by the poor little black youths in Morvant and Laventille. We are not here speaking to action taken by our allies in the north. We have no control over that,” the AG said in reference to citizens who had their visas revoked by the US government, some of whom he said had visited him seeking help to get the matter rectified.
“What we do have control over, is what our law enforcement tells us about some of the activities of these persons. The time when they received the keys to the city and licence to mash up the place. That time is over.”
In her defence of the AG’s claim the following day, after it drew criticism from the Syrian-Lebanese community and other sectors of society, Persad-Bissessar insisted that Jeremie’s comments were intended to reinforce a simple principle—that no individual or organisation should expect immunity from criminal investigation because of wealth, status or influence.
“Whether criminal elements identify themselves as the ‘Sixx’, the ‘Seven’, the ‘One Per cent’, or by any other name, they are all subject to the laws of Trinidad and Tobago and will be treated accordingly by the justice system,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar also sought to distance the claim from any ethnic considerations.
“The one per cent community consists of persons of many ethnic groups. It does not consist of a singular ethnic group. The State is committed to upholding the rule of law fairly and consistently,” the PM said.
She added, “There can be no special treatment and no immunity from legal consequences for anyone based on wealth, status, or association. Law enforcement’s responsibility is to ensure that the laws of the land are applied equally to all.”
