THERE IS MORE to the Bridgetown Pierhead Marina Project than the public is being told, says former Prime Minister Owen Arthur.
And he is urging Government to tell all immediately about the behind-the-scenes contractual arrangements involved.
Arthur told the DAILY NATION yesterday the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) supported the project in principle, and noted its conceptualization came under his administration.
But he stressed the project was now “surrounded by confusion of a scandalous nature”.
Arthur stated two separate companies now had contracts “to do the same work on the same project” for the Barbados Tourism Investment Incorporation (BTII).
He added that four Barbadians felt the need to resign from the BTII’s board over the arrangements surrounding the project.
The St Peter MP explained that the contractual confusion surrounding the project and the looming lawsuit by Lagan Construction of the United Kingdom could only spell more financial burden for taxpayers.
He reasoned Barbados could not afford any financial fallout from the project, especially at a time when the economy was not performing adequately, households were hurting and Government still had the CLICO debacle with which to deal.
Government faces a $60 million lawsuit by Lagan which is contending that in 2009 it entered into a contractual arrangement for the marina project which was sanctioned by then BTII chairman Dr Jerry Thorne. That arrangement was later revoked by Government.
The BTII was given a Cabinet directive on June 2, 2009, to award the contract to Signature Management Incorporated (SMI), managed by accountant Glyne Bannister.
However, Thorne informed Government that SMI was an international business company incorporated under the Companies Act and under the International Business Company Act could not legally trade in goods and services in Barbados.
A contingent travelled to St Lucia and incorporated SMI there on October 7, 2009, [No. 2009-00272], and SMI Infrastructure Solutions Inc. was subsequently awarded the contract.
The DAILY NATION understands principals from Lagan Construction are expected in Barbados this week.Both BTII chairman Stuart Layne and Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler have declined expanded comment on the issue, noting it was a matter now in the hands of lawyers.
