US not pleased with no-appeal decision

PORT OF SPAIN (CMC):

The United States says it is "disappointed" that the Trinidad and Tobago government had decided not to appeal a High Court ruling against extraditing two financiers of the ruling United National Congress (UNC) on fraud and laundering charges relating to the re-development of the Piarco International Airport in 2001.

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan earlier this week decided against appealing the ruling of High Court judge Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, saying "the ends of justice" will be served by foregoing the appeal, and allowing the criminal prosecution currently before the local courts to proceed.

But in a statement Wednesday, the United States Embassy here described extradition as "a powerful tool in the fight against transnational crime".

"The government of the United States and the government of Trinidad and Tobago have had a bilateral extradition treaty in place since 1996. Our governments work together closely to extradite suspects to both countries. Though we are very disappointed ... , we value our relationship with Trinidad and Tobago and will continue to work with the government on other extradition cases," the release stated.

A United States grand jury returned the indictment against Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson on November 29, 2005.

Ferguson is wanted on an 82-count indictment, including charges of laundering US$3.2 million between November 24, 2000 and March 28, 2002, while Galbaransingh is wanted on a 13-count indictment, including charges of laundering US$1 million between June 19, 2001 and December 10, 2001.