Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon says the US$10 fee involved in the transaction to return a New York city million-dollar luxury condo to his friend Neville Piper was a standard transfer fee and not a sale price.
Sticking to his initial statement that the condo was gifted to him by Piper, Dillon said yesterday that he felt the need to “give it back” in the wake of the property dispute which developed surrounding the matter.
But in addressing calls by the Opposition to disclose how he came to sell the property for US$10, Dillon said using the word ‘sold’ was not feasible because it was a transaction involving a deed and the transfer of property, which involved a standard fee (US$10) to transfer the said property.
“It is transferred, which I did voluntarily,” Dillon said, adding the condo was a gift to him and because there was never any ill intent behind it in the first place, he merely returned it.
“Simple as that,” he added.
Dillon appeared before the New York Supreme Court on April 4 to settle the property dispute brought against him by Piper’s niece Esther Nicholls, who alleged that Dillon had sought to defraud Piper of his property and bank account. In a subsequent release, Dillon said then that there had been no finding of wrongdoing against him.
Dillon was speaking to members of the media after the Cycle 1801 graduation ceremony of the Civilian Conservation Corps’ (CCC) at the T&T Regiment Headquarters, El Socorro, yesterday. Some 749 students graduated during the ceremony.
Delivering the feature address, Dillon said a National Crime Prevention Programme will soon be launched within the 14 municipal regions in a bid to empower communities and residents and turn them away from crime, criminality and violence. Explaining it to the media after the ceremony, he said there will be three pilot areas: Central, Diego Martin and Tobago.
“Through this programme we will identify issues and challenges and work on improving communities,” he said.
During his address, Dillon also said 77 per cent of CCC graduates are employed, with 25 per cent of this being in the public sector, including the protective services.
“The remaining 52 per cent in the private sector, ten per cent represents those who are self-employed starting off their own businesses,” Dillon said.
He urged yesterday’s graduates to “remain positive and focus at all times”.
“Failure is not an option…today you were given the tools and training to make you ready for life.”
On another issue raised by the media afterwards, Dillon said he was yet to receive the full report on the social media leak of a list containing over 100 names of alleged gang members, gang leaders and their addresses and gang affiliations. He said while acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has launched his investigations, the Ministry of National Security “has its own intelligence agencies looking at this…to identify who are the known perpetrators and gangs.”
