Chaguanas West MP and former national security minister Jack Warner says he has evidence of corruption at the Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBD), which will make the former Piarco airport scandal look like a tea party.
Warner said that during his contribution to yesterday’s debate on the budget in the House of Representatives. “The EMBD has bid-rigging of the worst kind, EMBD has contracts to friends and family of the worst kind, EMBD hasn’t done an audit for 2011, 2012 and 2013,” Warner said. He said despite the fact that no audit had been done for the years 2011 to 2013, the company was still being allocated funds.
Without calling names, Warner said: “Mr Speaker as I speak to you here now there are two persons whose documents are forged.” He said he would reveal the details outside the Parliament.
Warner also told legislators he was unhappy about the spate of police killings. There have been at least 35 police killings for the year to date. “I am concerned about police brutality. I am concerned about the militarisation of our beloved country, the wanton waste of armoured vehicles,” Warner added.
Warner revealed that the $410 million Constituency Development Fund for MPs to assist with projects in their respective constituencies was the brainchild of former justice minister Herbert Volney. Warner said the Government should meet with Volney to work out how the measure should be effectively implemented.
Warner also criticised the Government for not treating the entire nation equitably. He said while it built a university campus in Debe it was building a jail in Santa Rosa, Arima. Warner said the same property which housed the jail was valued at $15 million in 2007 was bought by the Government for $230 million. He said $70 million was also spent to repair it and $1 million was paid a month for rent for two years.
About the EMBD
The EMBD Web site says it is a limited liability government company which was formed in August 2002 to make land development and land management more efficient and productive, the mandate of the EMBD has been gradually expanding to cater to this objective. It operates under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
