Kamla: More than $7M paid to Mrs Imbert

Persad-Bissessar, during the UNC’s Monday Night Forum in Chaguanas claimed that Bolt (Trinidad Ltd), owned by Susan Williams-Imbert was paid more than the $7.5M as reported in the media. Persad-Bissessar also alleged cost overruns at the HDC.

The Corporation has since described the Sunday Express article as, “reckless, irresponsible and defamatory.” “I have the records and the cheques,” Persad-Bissessar told cheering supporters while displaying copies of documents which she said, could corroborate her findings. When contacted yesterday, HDC was firm in its response.

Head of Communications at HDC Maurisa Findlay told Newsday: “The statement issued by HDC is factual - the content is true and cannot be contested.

We are very comfortable with that statement.” Scores of jubilant supporters dressed in yellow, waving flags and tooting horns gathered on the busy Montrose Junction, Chaguanas causing traffic to snarl through the main street during the meeting that lasted just over two hours. Persad-Bissessar spoke about transactions between Bolt Trinidad Limited, a company incorporated in August 2003 and whose shareholders are Williams- Imbert and Allan Brammer and the HDC. She gave a paper trail starting in 2005, when she said the company was awarded the contract for project management services. “In this contract, it says ‘Contract between HDC and Bolt’,” Persad-Bissessar said.

“You hear lie? And they want to talk about waste, about mismanagement and corruption. So when they talking and telling you zero, zero, zero for you, that is zero for you but (sum mentioned) for Bolt!” Persad-Bissessar described a ‘wives club’ scenario in the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) administration and added that an email was sent by the wife of a government minister enquiring about outstanding payments with senior HDC officials responding by saying ‘sorry’ and promising payment in a matter of days. “But what about the hundreds of contractors who have not been paid for work over the past 15 months? What about them,” she asked.

She advised supporters that when PNMites come to their homes seeking votes, remind them of monies paid to Imbert’s wife.

“When we were in government, we worked for you,” she told the crowd. “I worked for you and I am saying if your country ever needed you...now is the time! If your party ever needed you...now is the time! As your leader I say, I need you now to save Trinidad from the PNM!” Vowing to “fight every seat to the hilt”, to ensure that UNC brings home victory on November 28, in the Local Government Election (LGE.), she boasted: “NSA, MSJ, COP, PNM, I taking on every one and we will give them a licking on November 28!”