Moonilal: How much was Trestrail project contractor paid?

UNC deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal wants to know how much the contractor on the HDC’s failed Trestrail Development housing project has been paid so far.

He’s also called on National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to say if a contractor with the SSA, who was killed, had installed CCTV cameras in Hinds’ home.

Moonilal called for answers at Monday night’s UNC meeting in Chaguanas. The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) intends to demolish more than half of the Trestrail housing units—valued at millions—due to infrastructural issues.

Moonilal claimed that in the Parliament, Housing Minister Camille Robinson-Regis had said the project would be “fixed.” He detailed the technical engineering report on the project, listing deficiencies he cited in Parliament last October.

“Them (Government) could fabricate anything against the UNC but they can’t fabricate a house,” he added.

He said when the issue was raised in Parliament, Robinson-Regis said the contractor would fund remedial work on the project, not the Government.

“I ask today: who funded remedial work? Because there’s none, they’re going to demolish everything. They build a dollhouse! They’re going to demolish after that project moved from $72 million to $110 million. How much did the contractor receive so far?

“How much did the contractor spend on the remedial works when there was never any remedial works? Why was a contract awarded minus performance bond? Why was he allowed to construct homes without this bond? This contract was given months before the 2020 general elections, so you give him (a) contract, no performance bond, no history of building houses,” Moonilal added.

Opposition Senator Wade Mark called for a police probe of the project.

Recounting the SSA issue which broke in March, Moonilal said the Prime Minister alluded to coup attempts to overthrow the Government but up to now, no one had been charged for sedition or treason or any such attempt.He said a contractor who was installing CCTV cameras for the SSA was killed.

“I ask Hinds if he was aware the man (Andy Daniel) was also installing CCTV cameras in the homes of two Government Ministers and he was the administrator of those cameras. If so, you know what happening there—that’s maccoing. You can see in people’s houses, yards and their businesses, etc, as you installed the cameras. So what did he see, observe or witness?

“I ask Hinds: could you tell us yes or no if he installed cameras in your house?” Moonilal asked.

He asked if any money was allegedly “owing.” Moonilal said the matter of whether some private citizens had files on two ministers was tied up in the SSA issue.

Hinds didn’t reply to questions on the matter from Guardian Media.

Moonilal said he also wasn’t letting go of the Rose Capital issue which he recently raised.

While his previous statements led to clarifications and an apology, after someone with a similar name came forward to say he was wrongly identified, Moonilal said he intends to take documents/letters he has on the issue to the Fraud Squad, seeking an investigation.

“We want to get to the bottom of this. Who is Rose Capital? In the next couple weeks, we’ll tell you who is the minister involved.” he alleged.

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