Basseterre, St. Kitts – St. Kitts and Nevis Leader of the Opposition, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has expressed concern about the high level of corruption and breaches in procurement requirements by the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government and which are being complained of by the public.
During his response to the 2018 Budget Address, Dr. Douglas asked for an explanation on the significant increase in the cost of construction of the new cruise pier at Port Zante, pointing out that concerns are being expressed on popular radio programmes and throughout the Federation.
“It is quite possible only a small portion of this money is reaching the projects that they are intended to finance. The rest may be lining the pockets of public personalities as well as their cronies and families,” Dr. Douglas said.
“This is not sustainable. The diversion of our precious and scarce public funds to unintended purposes could only hurt our economy over time and bring more hardships on our people,” he told parliamentarians and the Nation.
Dr. Douglas said the recent announcement to the effect that work is about to commence in respect of the new pier at Port Zante, highlights the concerns about corruption that are being expressed throughout the Federation.
“The original estimates for this pier was some US$16 million. Before I left office, the Government received a proposal for the construction of the pier, but we were concerned about the elevation to the cost to some US$30 million. We therefore decided to renegotiate or evaluate other options. We now learn that the pier will cost our people some US$46 million. If that is true, then the Government needs to explain to our people where the extra US$16 million will go,” said Dr. Douglas.
West Basseterre MP, Hon. Konris Maynard recently questioned the new price tag of the new cruise pier.
“All was ready to go at a cost of US$32 million when the government changed. Today, the pier is now three years delayed, jeopardizing the expected increase of cruise arrivals that the Labour Government had prepared. Worst than that, the cost has unexplainably ballooned to US$48 million,” the West Basseterre MP told reporters and the Nation.
“It has now become clear that this delay and the 50% increase in cost, is firstly due to the unprecedented level of corruption surrounding the construction of the Pier,” said Maynard, a First Class Honours graduate with a BSc degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of the West Indies.
“We are told that Ministers of Government have been setting up cement and other companies first overtly but now covertly to directly benefit,” said Maynard who also holds a MEng Electrical and Computer Degree from Waterloo Unversity in Canada.
