Derek Achong
The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has won a lawsuit against a contractor for the refurbishment of nine police surveillance bays along the Uriah Bulter and Solomon Hochoy Highways.
Delivering oral judgment at the Hall of Justice, in Port-of-Spain on Tuesday, High Court Judge Frank Seepersad upheld the EMA’s lawsuit in which it was seeking to recoup the $1.2 million that was advanced to Synergy Resources Ltd, of Union Road in Marabella.
Seepersad stated that on a balance of probabilities, Synergy Resources did not meet its contractual obligations to warrant the retention of the mobilisation fee.
In April 2015, the EMA signed the almost $2.5 million contract with the company for it to replace missing or damaged lights and to ensure security cameras were operational. It paid the mobilisation fee, which was 50 percent of the value of the contract.
Although the company was required to complete the work in three months, it did not comply as it claimed that replacement parts provided by the EMA were incompatible.
Several months later, the company approached the EMA and informed it that it had the necessary equipment to complete the job.
Although a revised contract was signed, the company still did not complete the work for the sites to be handed over to the T&T Police Service (TTPS) for surveillance and emergency response.
After the lawsuit was filed, the company filed a defence but no evidence from witnesses to buttress its case.
As part of his decision in the case, Seepersad ordered the company to pay the EMA’s legal costs for bringing the lawsuit.