Edghill asks procurement commission to probe D’Urban Park project

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He added that from April 22, 2016 to June, 2017, it is estimated that public funds amounting to $1.5 billion have been spent on the project.

As a result, he requested that the PPC investigate the procurement process for contracts awarded to facilitate works on the project prior to April 22, 2016 and up to June 30, 2017.

He said he also expected that the PPC would look at what payments were made to individuals, contractors and companies as it relates for the project and what liabilities, if any, to individuals, contractors and companies were owed for works and services up to June, 2017.

In addition, he said he anticipated that it would investigate if there was a budgeted and actual cost for every completed phase of the project and a projected final cost for the overall project.

Edghill is also seeking to have the PPC pronounce on if a private company can engage contractors without any procurement process and then request and receive public monies for funding the contracts, as well as whether the Procurement Act binds governmentowned and controlled Special Purpose Companies to follow its procurement rules. He also asked the PPC to look at whether there was any illegality or mismanagement of this project and, if so, to address the recommended remedial actions.

The government was criticised for failing to disclose the establishment of the company, and the involvement of Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, then Education Minister, who served as a director for the company representing the government.

President David Granger had said that HDI was a special purpose company that was set up to manage the preparation of the facility for the independence jubilee celebrations in the absence of a budgetary allocation. “… .So there is nothing secret, or there is nothing criminal about the HDI, it did serve a purpose and when that purpose or that usefulness came to an end, responsibility was handed over to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure,” he had said during a segment on The Public Interest interview programme.

The president added that the “transitional company” company only existed for six months and enabled the administration to complete the project.

The full names on the Articles of Incorporation for HDI are Lawrence (Larry) Wilson, Bobita Ram, Victor Wilson and Gentian Miller.