The Office of the Attorney General has lost its appeal related to a US $10 million Lawsuit for the maintenance of the Air Guard helicopter fleet. In delivering the oral decision at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain, Appellate Judges Gregory Smith and Andre Des Vignes ruled that Judge Avason Quinlan-Williams had ruled correctly to award a default judgement to Cobham helicopter services Limited in May 2019.
Judges Smith & Des Vignes agreed with Quinlan-Williams to reject the claims from the Attorney General’s office that the contract was not valid because it did not receive approval from the Central Tenders Board.
Both Judges agreed that the contract was exempt as it fell under Section 20A (1F) of the Central Tenders Board Act, which does not require Board involvement for goods and services to be provided to the Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force, with Government approval.
This means the State is ordered to pay Cobham helicopter services Limited US$10.6 minion as well as legal costs.
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