$151M PNM legal bill AG reveals hefty arrears inherited by UNC Govt; House Speaker, Criminal Bar Association president among first to be paid

2026-03-28 - 03:05

Attorney General John Jeremie says on assuming office, he met outstanding invoices left by the previous People’s National Movement government for legal fees totaling $151,611,135.22, of which $82,393,780.12 has since been paid – and those paid the highest in that sum included four foreign law firms as well as Israel Khan, SC, and current House Speaker Jagdeo Singh. And attorneys hired by the current United National Congress administration over May 1 2025 to January 1, 2026, include Khan, Anand Ramlogan, SC, Freedom Law Chambers and Kerwyn Garcia, SC. The information is contained in a reply from the Attorney General to a question filed by Opposition People’s National Movement MP Stuart Young. The reply – and a reply on another question from Young on the Clico Commission of Inquiry – had been deferred previously. Both were provided yesterday after Young complained to House Speaker Jagdeo Singh about Jeremie’s delay. Answers were subsequently circulated. One of Young’s queries had referenced the attorneys-at-law who were briefed and/or retained by the Office of the Attorney General (including the Solicitor General’s Department) for the period May 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026. Young had asked the Attorney General to provide the number of matter/s each attorney was briefed and/or retained for; the matter each was briefed and/or retained for; and the amount paid to each attorney for each matter. The Attorney General’s written reply to Young’s three questions was prefaced with the following statement, “Upon assuming office on May 1, 2025, the Attorney General met outstanding invoices totaling $151,611,135.22. Of this amount, $82,393,780.12 has since been paid.” A breakdown of the information showed that a total of 58 local attorneys and foreign firms were owed the $151.6 million as at April 30, 2025. The total number of people to whom local fees were owed comprised 49 attorneys. Their fees totalled $30.1 million. The highest figure among those listed was for Singh ($2.8 million) and the lowest to Joel Gobin ($15,000). Outstanding fees were also listed for five foreign firms. Their fees totalled $49.5 million. Fees were also owed to three local and one foreign firm under the DPP’s office. Their fees totalled $71.8 million. Of the total of 58 for whom fees were outstanding as at April 30, 2025, some 18 were paid sums totalling the $82.3m paid since then. Four foreign firms were paid the highest sums – Charles Russell Speechlys ($27.0m), Steptoe International (UK), LLP ($18.7m), Deloitte & Touche ($15.4m) and White & Case LLP ($7.6m). Among attorneys paid were Khan ($3.4m), Singh ($2.8m), Ulric Skerrit ($2.2m), Ian Benjamin,SC ($1.2m), Anthony Bullock ($1.2m). Retained in last 9 months In response to Young’s question referencing attorneys who were briefed and/or retained by the Office of the Attorney General (including the Solicitor General’s Department) over May 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, the AG’s reply showed 37 attorneys were briefed and/or retained over the period in question. They included Khan, SC, Kerwyn Garcia, SC, Anand Ramlogan, SC, Freedom Law Chambers, Elton Prescott, Renuka Rambhajan, Ulric Skerrit, Seenath Jairam, SC, Avory Sinanan, SC, Martin Daly, SC, Rishi Dass, SC, Fyard Hosein, SC. Also in the numbers were foreign attorneys Robert Strang and Simons Mairhead Burton. Ramlogan advises Govt on SoE matters On the number of matter/s each attorney was briefed and/or retained for, the document stated that Freedom Law Chambers was retained by the Attorney General, “for Anand Ramlogan, SC, to advise and represent the Ministry of Homeland Security on any legal issues and matters that may arise as a result of the ongoing State of Emergency.” Ramlogan was also retained in the matter involving former Central Bank Governor Dr Alvin Hilaire versus the Cabinet and Attorney General; and another matter. Jared Jagroo was also retained to advise and represent the Ministry of Homeland Security on any legal issues and matters that may arise as a result of the ongoing SoE The document further stated that Lester Chairah was retained “for Legal Team to Advise and represent the Ministry of Homeland Security on any Legal Issues and matters that may arise as a result of the ongoing SoE.” Khan, SC, was retained for four matters. Foreign attorneys Strang and Charles Russell Speechleys were retained on multiple matters, including the Attorney General versus Jason Jones and the Equal Opportunity Commission; the Commissioner of Police and Towfeek Ali and Firearms Training Institute matter and another concerning ex-CBTT governor Jawala Rambaran. Rambhajan was retained to advise the Commissioner of Police on the issuance of Preventative Detention Orders concerning the SoE in 2025. Daly was retained for the case of Austin Jack Warner versus the Attorney General. Sums paid so far to those retained/briefed ranged from a minimum of $60,000 to a maximum of $3.2m.