By Andre Bagoo Thursday, August 27 2009

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Elias demands: NHIC chairman Emile Elias at a press conference yesterday. Photo by Ishmael Salandy...

NH International (Caribbean) Ltd (NHIC) chairman Emile Elias has instructed his attorneys to write the Uff Commission of Inquiry to ask the commissioners to compel the State to produce the forensic report prepared by Bob Lindquist on the Cleaver Heights housing project in Arima.

Speaking at a press conference held at the NHIC offices on Long Circular Road, St James, Elias noted that it was up to the Government to release the report as seven months have passed since Lindquist was first brought in to probe the project.

“It is up to the Government to reveal the report. Let them tell us what he has found,” Elias said. “I certainly have advised my attorneys to write to the commission and insist that they produce the forensic report. Let them come and tell us what this forensic man found, that’s all I ask.”

The contractor revealed that Lindquist contacted him on the project between the months of March and April. Elias said he advised Lindquist to go over all the paperwork in relation to the project—paperwork that had been the basis of an interim report on the project prepared by Scottish construction expert Gerry McCaffrey. He also said he urged Lindquist to get in contact with him if he came to any adverse findings.

According to Elias, Lindquist went away but subsequently indicated that he would have no need to discuss any aspects of the project further with Elias.

“It was in June that he indicated that there is no need to meet. But I don’t know the contents of his report,” Elias said.

“The minister was not satisfied by the investigation of Mr McCaffrey. They announced that they were appointing Mr Lindquist and that was six months ago,” Elias said.

“I am now demanding that the findings of the investigation by Mr Lindquist be made public because it is my understanding that Mr Lindquist has found absolutely nothing wrong.”

On January 27, Housing Minister Emily Gaynor Dick-Forde announced in Parliament that Lindquist was hired to conduct a detailed forensic investigation into the Cleaver Heights Housing Development project. Since then, details of Lindquist’s investigation have been kept secret, with the minister not revealing the cost of the investigation.

“I am now asking Minister Dick-Forde and those others who insist on attacking this spectacular project to come out and say openly what was the outcome of this investigation,” Elias said.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has alleged a $10 million discrepancy in the Cleaver Heights project which, at one stage, fell under the portfolio of his former housing minister Dr Keith Rowley.

McCaffrey, in an initial report prepared for the Uff inquiry into the public construction sector, found the discrepancy was “highly unlikely to be masking mischief”. McCaffrey, however, has not been allowed to complete his full report after disagreement over his funding.

The Cleaver Heights project had been set to be a key element of the fourth and final phase of hearings of the Uff inquiry.