00:00Opposition leader Kamala Prasad Biswasa is accusing the government of hiding and lying
00:05to the public on the true status of the new terminal building at the A&R Robinson Airport.
00:11The project, under the management of NITCO, was estimated to cost $1.286 billion and be
00:17completed by 2022.
00:20From her UNC podium on Monday night, the opposition leader quotes from the Mott MacDonald report
00:26into the terminal and its findings.
00:56She links what she said was NITCO's failure at proper project management to the 26% cost
01:08overruns and delays of 131%.
01:26The opposition leader says the consultants made recommendations, first off, to hire an
01:44international company with requisite experience to replace NITCO.
01:49Although we propose that NITCO is retained as owner, we suggest that NITCO is removed
01:55from the firing line and that total responsibility and control over project delivery is vested
02:01in the type of company described on point A, which is to find a company with the expertise
02:07and experience.
02:08Enter GLEADS, which was retained at the cost of U.S. $2.4 million or TT $16.8 million.
02:16A new schedule has been presented for a project completion date of the 23rd of June 2025.
02:24However, what is not shown from the airport's schedule is when operations will transfer
02:31from the existing terminal to the new terminal.
02:35The current date for the first flight is also not shown.
02:39However, we would expect this to be shortly after the finalization of competition activities
02:44on June 23, 2025.
02:48So the government is trying to rush the opening of that terminal without adequate testing.
02:54But the opposition leader does not expect the project to be completed by that date,
02:59and here's why.
03:00Chiang Mai Railway has now informed the Minister of Finance that it's experiencing severe cash
03:06flows due to increased costs and pending claims.
03:10And if these are not immediately addressed, it will cause further delays in completing
03:15the project.
03:16Additionally, she says companies have been replaced for curious reasons.
03:20I was told I had fired the SEP company, CEP, because SEP was not rubber-stamping the approvals
03:27on testing because the work was failing to meet specifications.
03:32They were not rubber-stamping.
03:34So instead of doing the work properly.
03:36The minister blames the government for sweeping the inconsistencies surrounding the terminal
03:41under the carpet.
03:42So this is Mutt MacDowell's report.
03:45It is showing that since 2023, Rowley's government and Herbert George and NITCO have been covering
03:51up the mess that this project is in, and they have been lying to the country.
03:57And Bassad Bassasso promises that's not something which will be overlooked.
04:02Anyone who rubber-stamps documents without proper testing will find themselves before
04:06the courthouse to get their bail copybook stamped.
04:10Anyone who's rubber-stamping, this is too serious a matter.
04:15Too serious a matter.
04:16It's an airport, an international airport.
04:18They'll have to bring in their bail copybook and get it stamped.
04:23Because we will not leave these things alone.
04:25We will not.
04:26Arvashi Tiwari, Rupanarayan TV6 News.
