Opposition Senator Dr Margaret Rose has challenged claims that a cancelled TT$3.4 billion Housing Development Corporation procurement exercise would have involved no public money.
Rose said government and housing officials had described the design-build-finance arrangement as one in which contractors would provide the financing.
At a People’s National Movement media conference, she cited a modified version of the FIDIC Silver Book which she said formed part of the contractual documents attached to the request for proposals. According to Rose, clause 14.7 required HDC, as the employer, to pay contractors within 56 days after the relevant certificates were provided.
Rose argued that the clause contradicted assurances that public money would not be involved. She also maintained that public land and any payments to contractors from the sale of property developed on that land would involve public resources.
This was Rose’s interpretation of the procurement documents. The source video did not include a response from HDC or the Government to her reading of the payment clause.
Rose offered to provide journalists with a copy of the regulator’s report through the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.
