Well yes! lol and PNm was corrupt? well it eh taking this PP ting to do what PNM take years to do lol
$162m for Sammy
More airport contracts without a board
By Aabida Allaham
Story Created: Oct 12, 2010 at 11:55 PM ECT
(Story Updated: Oct 12, 2010 at 11:55 PM ECT )
ANOTHER multi-million-dollar contract was recently awarded for the completion of renovation works at Crown Point International Airport, Tobago, without a State board at the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT), the Express has learnt.
This time, the contract, valued at approximately $162 million, was awarded to Junior Sammy Contractors Ltd of Sum Sum Hill in Claxton Bay.
Junior Sammy has been known to finance both the People's National Movement (PNM) and United National Congress (UNC) during previous general elections.
When contacted via telephone yesterday, Sammy confirmed he had been awarded the contract and had already begun peripheral work around the Tobago airport but added the contract was not "completely finalised" as it had not been "officially signed off".
He said he had tendered for the job back in April and was "awarded the contract towards the end of August". Asked if he thought there was something irregular about receiving the contract since there was no State board in place at AATT, he said he did not think anything of it.
"It did run through my mind after that (incident involving the awarding of the $83 million in contracts to Harry Persad and Sons Ltd and United Engineering Services Ltd for installation of runway lighting at Piarco International Airport and Crown Point International Airport), but I am not overly concerned or familiar with the internal workings of the Government," Sammy said.
Sammy, who did renovation works on the Piarco Airport runway back in 2007, said the renovation work at Crown Point is scheduled to be completed in June next year, but when asked if he would take any redress if this contract is pulled from him, he said, "I didn't give it any thought."
As for his known involvement in the PNM and the UNC and the role it could have possibly played in his receipt of the contract, Sammy said, "All the contracts my company obtains are based on performance."
"So I can't avoid what people say; they can say what they want to say," he said.
When the Express contacted AATT's acting general manager Louis Frederick about the contract yesterday, he confirmed the contract was awarded to Junior Sammy but declined to divulge the terms or circumstances around it.
"That answer needs to be taken up with the line minister (at the Ministry of Works and Transport, Jack Warner). So ma'am, please direct your questions at him," he said during a telephone inter view.
Up to press time, however, Warner was unavailable for comment as he was said to be meeting residents in Moruga.
Frederick added, however, the reason the contract was valued so highly was because it included the paving of roads and the installation of security fencing around the perimeter of the airport, among other things.
"There is a whole lot more work that needed to be done, and it was all-round airfield improvement work," Frederick said.
Asked why a contract was awarded while there was no board in place, Frederick also referred that question to Warner. He added, however, AATT had the right to award contracts for certain projects.
"There are certain things that we have the right over, and it is all done in accordance with the rules and regulations of the AATT," he said.
As for the award of the $83 million contract to Harry Persad and Sons Ltd and United Engineering Services Ltd for installation of runway lighting at Piarco International and Crown Point International airports respectively, Frederick said it was urgent but again referred the Express to Warner for the details surrounding the contract.
"If the lights are not installed soon, we could have some major failures. In fact, we have had some failures in the past. British Airways had to have a flight delayed because the lights were not functioning," he said.
"And we just do not have the kind of reliability we should have with regard to our lighting. So it's important that we do get this in place because we do not want to have any catastrophe on our hands."
According to Frederick, if the lights are not repaired soon, international airlines "might restrict their hours", limiting the number of flights coming in, going out, at night or when there is inclement weather.
