Congress of the People (COP) political leader Winston Dookeran on Friday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" what it said are the continuing attacks directed at the local construction sector by Prime Minister Patrick Manning.In a media release Dookeran said Manning is going after local contractors to justify government's decision to hire foreign construction firms.
"Furthermore, the COP calls upon the Manning Administration to address the question of honouring the outstanding $450m owed to local contractors who drive the engine of growth and employment-generation in the economy," Dookeran said.
"This practice of foreign preference has resulted in costly budgetary overruns and little transfer of modern technology or skills to the local industry," Dookeran added.
He said foreign contractors are transferring resources outside of the country to the detriment of the ailing national economy.
Dookeran added that the foreign contractors will leave a legacy of shoddy construction standards similar to what resulted from the Government-to-Government arrangements of the late 70’s.
"Recently, the shoddy work of the Shanghai Chinese construction company, the company that is also expected to build our Carnival Centre, has come to the fore in the several major flaws identified in the construction and outfitting of the National Academy for the Performing Arts Centre (NAPA)," he said.
"The reported $80m of additional state funding to set it right is scandalous. The national community can no longer accept state denial as a defense by Culture Minister Marlene Mc Donald to serious concerns made by the Artistes Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago.
"The COP wishes to forewarn the national community that the Rapid Rail earmarked to be built by a French consortium with French Government funding to the tune of $18billion will further increase the huge foreign debt of T&T," Dookeran said.
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