Housing Minister defers to THA, cancels Scarborough event

Housing and the Environment Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said next week’s Udecott handing-over ceremony for the Scarborough Financial Complex has been cancelled, owing to complaints by Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London. Moonilal made the disclosure during an impromptu news briefing at the Parliament in Port-of-Spain after yesterday’s sitting of the House of Representatives.

London said on Wednesday it was the THA which had hired Udecott to manage the project and the finished building should be handed over to them. But Moonilal said in response yesterday that it was normal for Udecott to hand over a completed project to the client. He said: “Mr London is objecting to the Udecott handing over to the THA, but he cannot hand over anything. He has no keys. I don’t know if Mr London wants to hand (over) to himself.”

Moonilal said in deference to London’s concerns, he has asked Udecott to cancel the handing-over ceremony. “So that what we may do is put the keys in an envelope and FedEx it to Mr London,” Moonilal said. Commenting on the planned Cabinet reshuffle, Moonilal said it was the PM’s prerogative to appoint ministers and he was confident that his ministry had performed satisfactorily and would get a passing mark.