UDeCOTT's Hart offers to resign

UDeCOTT executive chairman Calder Hart told the Uff Commission Wednesday he would quit his job at the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago if anyone proves that he had breached tender rules. He was responding to questions from commissioner Israel Khan.

Allegations about the rules were made by former government minister Dr Keith Rowley and the Joint Consultative Council.

"If these things turn out to be true, you ready to resign?" Khan asked. "If they turn out to be true, yes," Hart said.

Khan wanted to know if Hart agreed that Rowley was within his rights in 2003 to warn UDeCOTT's board about awarding a $100 million contract to Hafeez Karamath Ltd (HKL) for the Customs and Excise building. Rowley was the line minister responsible for UDeCOTT at the time.

Hart said that Rowley "felt that there was something legitimately wrong", but repeated his previous statement that the UDeCOTT board had already begun to take action to deal with the matter.

"It seems to me you have a knack, Mr Hart, with the greatest respect, for breaking your own rules and ignoring sagacious advice given to you, by lawyers, by ministers, everybody. If we find that as a fact, that is a serious indictment against you?" Khan said. Hart responded, "When you make that indictment it is serious, there is no question about it."

Khan and commission Chairman John Uff were careful to point out that commissioners were not accusing him of any wrongdoing. Uff told Hart that no member of the Commission "holds any brief for any party. We are not here to accuse you of anything...We are here to listen to and weigh the material that comes before us."

In Hart's written statement to the enquiry he had suggested that the commission should be attending to issues other than those surrounding UDeCOTT and Hafeez Karamath Limited (HKL). "It is respectfully submitted that the scarce time of the commission might be more constructively directed to other issues," Hart wrote.

Hart withdrew the statement but Khan kept his focus on Hart's dealings with HKL. "It seemed to me that Hafeez Karamath had a water-tight connection with UDeCOTT insider information about contracts," the commissioner said.

That was an issue raised earlier in the probe by the Joint Consultative Council's attorney, Alvin Fitzpatrick, during cross-examination of Hart who told Fitzpatrick he could not confirm how Karamath got information about certain packages at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Karamath tendered the exact figure for the packages even before the information was made public. Hart told Khan he didn't know when the estimate was done. "I don’t know how he comes to the exact figures that are in that estimates, whether it was done pre or post submissions," Hart said.

"Would you agree that if all these things I pointed out to you are true, it will be a scandalous state of affairs in this country?” Hart agreed.

The enquiry also heard startling details about UDeCOTT's connection to CH Development, a subsidiary of Malaysia-based Sunway. CH successfully bid for the $320.7 million Ministry of Legal Affairs building project within months of its formation.

The commission heard earlier that CH did not meet the criteria to qualify for the contract but UDeCOTT awarded it anyway based on its connection to the international parent company, although it not not qualify and the rules were clear that each company was ti be considered on its own merit.

Documents revealed that CH had the same fax number as UDeCOTT. Rowley's lawyer, Gilbert Peterson questioned Hart about the matter. Hart admitted that the numbers were the same but said he did not know how that was possible. "I have no idea, but I am going to get to the bottom of it," he said.

Hart also revealed that he receives five salaries and that his remuneration package was approved by the Public Sector Negotiating Committee. He didn't state a figure but added that receives a bonus of between half-month and three months’ salary.

Uff asked whether he would also receive a bonus for the Brian Lara stadium. He explained that he would not because that project has not been as successful as was originally intended.