00:00As the Office of the Procurement Regulator launches its investigation into the HGC's awarding of $3.4 billion worth in
00:08contracts to some 11 contractors,
00:11confirmation on the way forward comes from MP for Port of Spain North St. Anne's West George Young Senior Counsel.
00:17Young, along with attorney Randall Mitchell, first brought the concerns to light in representing their client, activist Wendell Eversley, calling
00:25for a criminal probe.
00:26What will be happening now is we will be providing the OPR officially with information that has been coming to
00:35our possession with respect to these awards.
00:39I use very, very careful languages I always do, which was bid rigging and potential cartel-like behavior similar to
00:47what happened with EMBD and EFCL in the past.
00:50Young views the action taken as a sign that the procurement laws are working.
00:54And he states that a matter is not to be slighted.
00:57It has been stated by a minister in the Ministry of Housing, Philip Alexander, that HGC has not expended any
01:04money,
01:04as the contractors are the ones who are paying for the construction of the projects,
01:08which the banks or mortgage companies will then purchase, allowing them to recoup what was spent.
01:15Young is addressing those claims, saying the government is attempting to create a smokescreen.
01:19And to suggest that, oh, this is a design-build, design-finance-build type of contract.
01:26Again, that is a red herring, because even if it is those types of contracts, you have to be qualified.
01:32And there must be a guarantee by HGC that they will purchase the houses.
01:37This is not a private sector development where they would be selling the houses directly to people.
01:43Young Rubbish's statements implying that a procurement process was followed.
01:47He says it was not an open or public tender, but rather a selective one.
01:52The way they choose exactly who they want to participate in, which is why I use the words bid rigging.
01:57And I'll have you all know that our clan, Mr. Eversley, through Mr. Mitchell, myself and others,
02:02we have been sending quite a lot of correspondence to the OPR because we're finding many, many state enterprises
02:08in breach of the law, and that will become public very soon.
02:11Young states that they are failing to publish what they are tendering for and have been disregarding
02:17this legal part of the procurement process.
02:19He tells us the OPR is looking into that as well.
02:23Young is now qualifying a previous statement, which suggested that some of the companies awarded
02:28the contracts were incorporated a year ago.
02:31I was asked that question.
02:32That was the information that came to me.
02:34None of the 11 were incorporated this year, as I'm sure you've seen by now.
02:39But what we need to do is see the full list.
02:41Let's see who else was invited.
02:42Let's see who else was in this elective tendering.
02:44The senior counsel questions if the cabinet was involved, which would be done through the housing minister.
02:50And what were the roles of the HTC's chairman and acting managing director in what has transpired?
02:57Young adds that in the past few weeks, the HTC's corporate secretary and head of legal have both resigned.
03:03The media attempted to seek answers from Minister of Housing David Lee prior to the sitting of the House of
03:09Representatives.
03:10The $3.4 billion contract that was supposed to be given to 11 businesses now put on hold.
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