Today's quote: T&T wants no dealings with SNC-Lavalin

“We are very concerned with all the developments related to that (Penal Hospital) project (and) I can tell you we met yesterday (Monday) with the CCC, the Canadian Head of Mission in Port of Spain and the UDeCOTT (Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago) and we did make our position clear. 

"We invited the CCC to select another contractor notwithstanding their reports of due diligence and management performance appraisal and so on. We believe that public confidence has been undermined in the particular contractor and their problems are ongoing.

“Given that, that company, the contractor has ongoing problems, I do not think it is in the public’s interest to continue the arrangement with them. We have invited them to submit to another company.

“Failing that, if their position is no, that they will not and they are adamant that they will utilise this company, I expect to appraise the Cabinet on Thursday. I’ve already had a discussion with acting Prime Minister Prakash Ramadhar and Prime Minister (Kamla) Persad-Bissessar and I expect to appraise the Cabinet on Thursday and to go so far as to recommend to the Cabinet that we terminate the overnment to government arrangement with the Canadian government.” 

Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, quoted in the Trinidad Express, Sept. 25, 2013