Parliamentary Questions About Construction Costs
Yesterday [May 15] in the Senate the Government responded to questions posed by the Opposition regarding a Bermuda Housing Corporation project from a decade ago.
The project was built in the Orange Hole St David’s area, and consisted of 20 units. Bermuda Composite Construction served as the main contractor, while Bermuda Building Services and Pro Active Management Services were also involved. Directors of BCC at the time included Zane DeSilva, Arthur Pitcher, Kevin Bean-Walls and Leon J. Williams.
Previous Parliamentary questions [PDF here] revealed that Bermuda Composite Construction built 17 units and was paid $5,191,595, while Bermuda Building Services built 3 units and was paid $895,827.13. The final cost was almost a million dollars over the original budgeted cost of $5,178,991.
The questions yesterday were in reference to payments made to Pro Active Management Services, who served as sub contractors for the project. Proactive is the same company that had their contract to manage the Berkeley Institute construction project terminated by Government after it mismanaged the project.
Auditor General Heather Jacobs Matthews was asked by ZBM whether documents on the matter will form part of her investigation into Government contracts, and told them it “was a matter of interest.”
The Parliamentary questions and answers are provided below:
Q1.Would the Junior Minister please inform the Senate as to who signed the Contracts between Bermuda Composite Construction and the Bermuda Housing Corporation for the Low Cost Family Housing units at 15 Orange Hole in St. David’s?
We do not have sight of the original documents and therefore cannot confirm with a degree of certainty who signed the contracts.
Q2. Would the Junior Minister please inform the Senate as to how much Pro Active Management Services was paid by the Bermuda Housing Corporation for work done in their role as sub-contractors for the units at 15 Orange Hole in St. David’s?
Pro Active Management was paid no funds for the work done in their role as subcontractors for the units at 15 Orange Hole in St. David’s.
Q3. Would the Junior Minister please inform the Senate as to whether the Bermuda Housing Corporation remunerated Bermuda Composite Construction for payments made to Pro Active Management during construction at Orange Hole and, if so, how much?
As far as can be ascertained, The Bermuda Housing Corporation did not remunerate Bermuda Composite Construction for payments made to Pro Active Management during construction at Orange Hole
Speaking after the Senate, Opposition Senator Toni Daniels said, “These questions, including ones we submitted in March, are investigatory in nature, after an issue was brought to our attention by a concerned citizen.
“It would be premature to comment any further other than to express concern with the Government’s vague, ambiguous and unhelpful answers.
“For example: It’s unacceptable for the Junior Minister to respond that “We do not have sight of” the contract Bermuda Composite Construction and the Bermuda Housing Corporation.
“It’s unacceptable for the Junior Minister to qualify his answer to a question about who received payments of public money with the statement “As far as can be ascertained…”
“The Government has been promoting how open and transparent it has become in dealing with the peoples’ money, but the answers do not reflect that,” concluded Senator Daniels.
“We do not have sight of the original documents and therefore cannot confirm with a degree of certainty who signed the contracts.” What nonsense is that?? as a Junior Senator you have a responsibility to provide answers to written questions which in the real world means: if you don’t have sight of the contract – GO AND GET SIGHT of the damn contract. Then come back and report RESPONSIBLY. Vince Ingham you know DAMN BETTER.
No he dosen’t.
Vote these unethical idiots out!!
Business as usual in the Noo Burmuda.
More irresponsibility with the public purse. Burrows needs company up at Westgate. I am not suggesting that fraudelent behaviour has ensued. I am just saying that it seems that some of the top civil servants should be locked up for sheer stupidity and gross negligence. At this point in time, the deparment that hires these creeps should also be audited and dismantled.
you are on the wrong side Ingham.
This Govt stinks. Keep digging ! I am sure there are plenty more individuals in and connected to this Govt that have managed to weasel their way into a payday of some sort.
After years of complaining that the “UBP did it”, the PLP have proven to be no better. Worse in fact.
If you had any integrity you whould be hanging your heads in shame.
Nobody knows anything. A sure sign of why we are in this mess.
Why would the AG look at this matter again? It’s already been investigated by the Bermuda Police Service, Scotland Yard, the other AG and probably scores of other people. It looks to me that the OBA members of the Senate (and Pariament) are using Parliamentary Questions as part of their election campaign.
To quote your own Betty Trump keep pushing as I seriously doubt that everyone has investigated these matters…..
Who is Betty Trump? I don’t know anyone by that name.
Doesn’t this concern a series of apparently fraudulent cheques? Maybe we should ask the RCMP to investigate. The local police can’t seem to get past the DPP.
If it looks like $h#t…smells like $h#t and feels like $h#t…it usually is…………..
Or the S*it has been started by the opposition- a scandal can be created out of any matter it just takes one person to spin the truth