Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley says justice in T&T was defeated when the US extradition order for businessmen Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson was quashed by Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh. Rowley's comment was made in response to a question on Monday's ruling. He spoke during a news conference at his office in Port-of-Spain yesterday. Asked if he saw the ruling as a defeat for Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, Rowley said: "I wouldn't term it a defeat for the Attorney General...if there is any defeat it would be for justice in Trinidad and Tobago." Rowley said it was Ramlogan who "facilitated the whole process...So having got the expected result, I wouldn't call it a defeat." Rowley also said he found the "intervention to be very timely."
Questioned further on the matter, Rowley said the matter was before the court for a very long time and "persons made political commitments about it and they delivered." Galbaransingh, owner of Northern Construction Group of Companies, is wanted in the US to answer a 13-count indictment, including charges of money laundering involving US$1 million (TT$6.3 million) during the period June 19, 2001, to December 10, 2001. Ferguson, former CEO of Maritime General Insurance Company, is wanted in the US on an 82-count indictment, including money laundering charges, involving US$3,255,345 (TT$20,508,673). It is alleged to have occurred from November 24, 2000, to March 28, 2002.