Blame PP for sand problem

Referring to allegations by former housing minister Dr Roodal Moonilal on this matter, Rambharat said the Estate Management Business Development Corporation (EMBD) purportedly issued letters of award to six contractors to operate sand pits. He said this happened on June 10, 2015 prior to then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announcing that year’s general elections date.

Rambharat said the PP was aware that these sandpits were being operated without a mining license. He said that in June 2015, the PP and the EMBD would have known there was no basis for making the awards.

Rambharat said checks by the EMBD since the People’s National Movement assumed office found “absolutely no documentation” in relation to the awards made to contractors by the PP to operate the sand pits. He called on Moonilal to assist in providing these documents if they exist. Rambharat said the PP would also have known that EMBD has had a “terrible history” of managing these sandpits since 2003.

He said in 2010-2011, under the PP, EMBD was grilled by the Public Accounts Enterprises Committee (PAEC) about the operations of the sand pits. Rambharat said the company was unable to provide any of the answers which the PAEC sought at that time. While both he and Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan have received letters from certain contractors alleging there is a shortage of red sand, no such information has come from either the EMBD or the Contractors Association.