A report on the controversial $.9 million light aircraft deal signed by Police Commissioner Dr Dwayne Gibbs is now in the hands of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.

National Security Minister Brig John Sandy yesterday forwarded the report to Ramlogan.

The $900,000 contract was between the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Company for a light aircraft to provide surveillance.

Sandy reiterated that as accounting officer Gibbs had no commitment to consult his Ministry or the National Security Council on the contract but stressed that he should have.

"Yes, because it is a national security asset he should have brought it to the council. ... He should have told me. I was not aware," he said.

Sandy was speaking with the media yesterday prior to the Senate sitting at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain. Both he and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar have said they had no knowledge about the light aircraft.

Opposition Member of Parliament Donna Cox first raised the issue of the contract during Friday's sitting of the Lower House.

She had read from a letter of intent between Gibbs and Dirk Barnes, managing director of Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Company, about the company supplying its "Sky View Surveillance Support" as a "law enforcement aviation pilot project".

The contract is for 720 hours use of Zenith CH 750 Air Scout Aircraft for a three-month evaluation period at a cost of $902,772 or US$140,400.

In the Senate yesterday, Independent Senator Dr James Armstrong, contributing to debate on the strengths and deficiencies of the Police Service, noted he saw the Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, Gary Griffith, on CNC3's Early Morning Show yesterday and was "quite confused" by his statements on the aircraft issue.

He pointed out that Griffith, who admitted knowledge of the contract, had mentioned that on a weekly basis he would receive presentations on different interventions on how to solve crime.

"I don't quite understand how that could be happening and who's in charge. Clearly there are too many cooks in the kitchen," Armstrong commented.

He said he was unclear what authority was vested in the office of the National Adviser, and whether he was also an advisor to the National Security Council or the Commissioner of Police.

"I do not think that we are going to get any place very fast unless we resolve these issues," he added.

Armstrong said while he would not comment on the technical suitability of the aircraft there was an issue of procurement and "something has to be wrong" with the approach that had been taken.

Ramlogan in his contribution noted it was the current administration that empowered the Commissioner of Police as accounting officer and gave him control over his own budget, a "virtual CEO of the Police Service". He said this was a major change in the past where the National Security Minister would have to sign off on a "paper clip".

"What about a paper plane?" Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds quipped.