UdeCOTT gave contract to NH despite warnings

Udecott also awarded a contract to Warner Construction and Sanitation Company for the Blenheim housing project in Tobago, although Warner’s bid should have been nullified by its failure to submit a tender bid. The admissions were made yesterday by UdeCOTT’s CEO and Corporate Secretary, Winston Agard, at yesterday’s Commission of Inquiry.

The three commissioners are probing allegations of impropriety against Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley, as it relates to the Scarborough Hospital and the award of contracts to NHIC and Warner Construction Ltd in 2002.

Agard said NHIC’s bid of $114.4 million for the Customs and Excise project was the lowest of the four bids submitted in February 2004. The pre-tender estimate by UdeCOTT’s evaluator for the project, Michael Sam’s and Associates was $113.3 million. UdeCOTT was advised by its foreign consultants Turner Construction to award the contract to NHIC.

It was the first time UdeCOTT was working with the US based company. The evaluator’s report stated that NHIC’s sub-contractors lacked expertise, did not adhere to instructions and one that was now starting up, and as such suggested that sub-contractors be chosen from a pool of other sub-contractors. But Agard said despite the concerns raised, the Board rejected the advice because it did not feel it should "fetter" itself to such a pool.