$5M property in Trinidad handed to Shanghai Construction boss: Newsday

The name Michael Qing Zhang may not appear to be significant. Many people may have never heard it. But the moment you put it in the context of the UDeCOTT scandal in Trinidad and Tobago, it becomes prominent.

Michael Zhang, centre, with former Prime Minister Patrick Manning, right, and Calder Hart. File photo from May 2009

Zhang is the man behind the Shanghai Construction Group (SCG), the Chinese company that was awarded contracts by the Manning PNM administration valued at more than two billion dollars. 

Among the projects were the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), a project that UDeCOTT handed the company without tender, and the Prime Minister's residence and diplomatic centre.

Shangai Construction was also building the now abandoned Church at Guanapo. The controversial church was under construction on state lands allegedly with state funds although Manning has always denied that public money was used for the building for his spiritual adviser, Rev. Juliana Pena.

Now the SUNDAY NEWSDAY is reporting that Zhang acquired $5 million property on State lands in Westmoorings and that the Commissioner of State Lands, Stephanie Elder-Alexander, approved the transfer of title to Zhang on November 9, 2009, the day NAPA was formally opened.

The paper said it has obtained a notice from the Commissioner of State Lands that revealed that the State approved the transfer of the residual rights to a 99-year lease for the 743.6 square metres property at 22 Windsurf Road East, Westmoorings, on November 9, 2009.

The paper added, "One week after the elaborate opening ceremony, which was also attended by UDeCOTT chairman Calder Hart, a deed dated November 18, 2009, was signed by Zhang.

"According to the deed...Zhang acquired the residual rights to a 99-year lease that was formerly held by Betty Joyce Lau...who used to live at the property at 22 Windsurf Road East. 

"(She) died on January 9, 2008, leaving behind the residual rights to the property to her estate...on November 18, 2009, the executor of Lau’s estate transferred the rights to Zhang.

"A total of $355,750 in stamp duty was paid on the transaction, according to the document. Zhang’s address is listed as 5 Keate Street, Port-of-Spain, which was the then address of the offices of Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) International (Trinidad and Tobago) Limited, the Chinese firm which he managed," Newsday reported.

Shanghai's construction projects included:

• The Prime Minister’s Residence and Diplomatic Centre
• NAPA
• The Ministry of Education Tower project on St Vincent Street
• The upgrade of the South Terminal of the Piarco International Airport.
• The construction of several police stations throughout the country.

The paper said Zhang also owns a private construction firm, Times Construction Company Limited, which did work for the State "outside of work given to SCG though UDeCOTT and otherwise." 

One such contract, the paper said, was the controversial Ministry of Legal Affairs building in Port-of-Spain. UDeCOTT awarded the $368 million Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower to Sunway Construction (Caribbean) Limited, a company with family ties to former Calder Hart. Hart, the former executive chairman of UDeCOTT.

Hart is currently under investigation in relation to the findings of a report of the Uff Commission of Inquiry.