Karim reiterates that no contract handed out for South Campus of UWI

Senator Fazal Karim

Minister of Science Technology and Tertiary Education Fazal Karim reiterated on Friday that the University of the West Indies (UWI) has not awarded a contract to a Chinese firm to build the south campus of UWI in Debe.

UWI issued a statement earlier in the week denying media reports that the contract had been awarded to the Chinese firm Jiangsu International.

That led to criticism from several stakeholders in the construction sector as well as the leader of the Movement for Social Justice, David Abdulah.

Read the story: Abdulah concerned about $.5B contract to Chinese

Karim spoke to the media about the matter following a ceremony at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA).

"I am not in possession of any communication formally from the University of the West Indies that it has been awarded," Karim said.

"My information from the University of the West Indies is that there has not been any signing of any award contract. The procurement process is an entirely independent internal process of the University of the West Indies."