Independent Senator Mary King wants an inquiry into The Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) and wonders why one man has the power to control 20 per cent of the country's budget.King told the local media Calder Hart, Udecott Executive Chairman has too much power.The senator was commenting on the dismissal of Dr Keith Rowley from the Cabinet.
Prime Minister Patrick manning said last week he had to remove Rowley because of behaviour that was unbecoming of a government minister.
But Rowley, who is yet to tell the nation his side of the whole story, told his Diego Martin West constituents Manning fired him because he expressed concerns over Udecott and demanded "Cabinet oversight of Udecott’s activities, where billions of dollars of state funds are being expended on projects which are unnecessary.”
Rowley said he was deeply concerned about the agency's "procurement processes and the nature of the activities, with respect to Cabinet oversight.”
King said allowing Hart to control 20 per cent of the country’s annual budget was putting too much power in the hands of one man.
“There really should be proper control. Hart has been holding down so many positions, which is an open door for corruption and lack of transparency...No other country in the world would give one man so much power. This should not happen,” King told the Sunday Guardian.
She also raised questions about Hart's background and wondered if he declares his assets to the Integrity Commission, and whether Udecott have proper tendering procedures.
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Hart was out boating on Saturday, according to his wife. "My husband works very hard, you know. He needs a rest...People are just blowing things out of proportion,” Sherrine Lee Hart told the Guardian.
Opposition Senator Wade Mark has also called for for “an independent, impartial forensic investigation” and inquiry into the overall operations of Udecott and Hart.
The former chairman of the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee (PAEC) said investigations into Udecott projects between 2002-2005 showed the State-owned organization was “loose" with its operations.
“We were shocked that a company that had under its control over $10 billion in projects had very weak systems of internal controls and mechanisms," he said.
Last Wednesday Mark said, “The time has come for a criminal investigation involving fraud, open theft and other illegal activities to be launched by the Fraud Squad against Udecott...We believe the population has been fleeced of millions of dollars.”
He also suggested the Director of Public Prosecution and the Integrity Commission probe Udecott.
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