Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Eli Zakour has raised serious concerns about conflict of interest and questionable procurement at the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC), pointing to $4.3 million in payments made to a company owned by former minister Richie Sookhai.
Speaking during Monday night’s Senate debate on the Finance (Supplementary Appropriation) (Financial Year 2025) Bill, Zakour disclosed that while PTSC received $1.4 billion in government grants over the past five years, its income stood at just $183 million. During that time, he said the Corporation failed to acquire any new buses, despite having 430 drivers and only 100 buses in operation.
Zakour said that while reviewing PTSC’s suppliers, Sookhai’s Diesel Services Ltd (SDSL) raised questions. He noted that former minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport Richie Sookhai, who has led SDSL since 2001, was both a director and shareholder during his time in office.
"Now I am not an attorney but that is a conflict of interest. You are a Minister in the Ministry responsible for PTSC and I am being told that they were instructed to buy from Sookhai's. In five years, Sookhai went from number 20 to the fourth preferred supplier," Zakour said.
Zakour cited figures showing SDSL received $342,000 in 2021, $170,000 in 2022, and $3,300 in January 2023. After Sookhai’s Senate appointment in February 2023, the company earned $64,000 by that month, growing to $662,000 by December. In 2024, PTSC paid SDSL $2.3 million, and a further $837,000 from January to April 2025.
Labeling this as fiscal mismanagement, Zakour said PTSC spent $106.8 million on spare parts in recent years. Yet, its September 2024 financial statements revealed $65 million worth of parts in stock, $57 million of which are unusable.
"PTSC has been buying parts that they do not need, Mr President. There have been no attempts in the last 10 years to liquidate those parts. I have asked for an investigation to determine exactly how many parts are there and the value of those parts."
He added that while PTSC has an agreement with the foreign supplier of its fleet, it instead purchased imitation parts locally, costing taxpayers $36 million over five years.
Zakour also highlighted the $92 million PTSC spent on security, with one company benefitting disproportionately. He questioned why officers are stationed at restrooms to enforce a $2 washroom charge, which had previously been free under the People's Partnership government. Zakour promised to remove the fee soon.
The Ministry is now seeking $60 million to begin Phase One of a project to supply and deliver 300 buses. Zakour said PTSC once operated 165 routes, but years of neglect under the previous administration reduced that number to just 73, leaving rural communities underserved.
More PBR permits for maxi-taxis
Zakour also announced Cabinet’s approval of 100 new Priority Bus Route (PBR) permits for maxi-taxis amid what he described as widespread permit abuse under the former administration.
He said the four types of PBR permits include one for maxi-taxis and three for private vehicles: Permanent, Temporary and Letter permits. Public officials typically receive permanent passes, while temporary ones are reserved for those in office. Ministers may issue letter permits at their discretion.
However, Zakour said former Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan issued 8,330 letter permits, many without justification, at a cost of $1.7 million. At the same time, over 66 maxi-taxis have been waiting for permits since 2018, but Sinanan refused to issue any due to an old Cabinet-imposed cap.
"It raises the question, why did he give out so many permits in other categories by crossing those Cabinet-approved limits in the hundreds, but he did not go back to Cabinet to increase the amount that maxi-taxi could get."
Zakour said within his first two months in office, he recalled all 645 letter permits issued between January and April 2025. As of yesterday, all were declared invalid.
"Permits were even given out after the election and my colleague, the former member of Parliament for La Horquette/Talparo would have collected a pass, actually, on April 30, two days after the general election. I would like to remind him that he has to bring it in by tomorrow."
