ULP gov't paid full sums but houses not built

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]It was discovered that houses that contracts were paid in full.

[00:00:06]Let me make myself clear. The contracts were made paid in full, but there are no houses for these contracts.

[00:00:14]Again, the challenge of contractors remain. We cannot and I'm the AGI have to take some of these contracts to the Attorney General as well to ensure that we bind the contractors to their agreement. We don't want a situation where I don't know if they had any issue at the time when those were done because I don't know how people could get out of a contract where you say you have a contract and these people are paid.

[00:00:43]It's really really troubling troubling.

[00:00:46]Right? So, those um prefab homes, we are hoping to be able to set those up. I took the time to go to the steel fab the um company in Trinidad and we got assurance from the people there that they are going to send teams to assist us in the assembling of these homes. So, we have some set up already and I am guaranteeing you that we would have those most of them ready for by the end of this year.

[00:01:16]But conservatively speaking because I don't want um to say that we are going to do this and knowing that we still have outstanding trucking bills to pay.

[00:01:27]Matter of fact, one trucker came to the office and he said he was sent directly to collect materials.

[00:01:34]No document no documentation. Now, he's to be paid. There is no documentation.

[00:01:41]So, I actually asked him to get a lawyer so that he could deal with the person who sent him by word of mouth to collect these things.

[00:01:48]And these are They might sound as a joke, but these are reality the situation that occurred and that is impacting on us now our way forward. But this government is a government with a vision.

[00:02:03]It's a government of action.

[00:02:06]And so, we will overcome these problems.

[00:02:09]These are not problems that are insurmountable. Will the honorable minister state the total number of housing construction and rehabilitation projects earmarked for implementation in the current fiscal year broken down by constituency and the specific budgetary allocation for the procurement of materials for these projects?

[00:02:37]Honorable Minister of Housing Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

[00:02:45]And I'm reminded of the last time we had a conversation myself and don't think it ended well, but I'm going to be very straightforward with the answer to your question.

[00:02:59]Right. Thank you very much.

[00:03:04]Always give you a chance to talk, you know.

[00:03:07]Let me give you a few minutes.

[00:03:09]Now, in housing the experts have provided me with information in regards to the budgeted allocation. But what they have also provided me with are the constraints that may hinder us achieving the budgeted estimate. And I will outline some of those constraints.

[00:03:38]Now we have discovered that what consumes a lot of our income that was budgeted for in 2026 are one contracts that were issued under the previous administration where houses were supposed to have been built and those country contracts were paid for in full. So, I just want to be clear. Those contracts were paid for in full. The houses were supposed to be delivered.

[00:04:18]To our amazement in some constituencies and I'll name some of them.

[00:04:24]It was discovered that houses that contracts were paid in full.

[00:04:31]Let me make myself clear. The contracts were made paid in full, but there are no houses for these contracts.

[00:04:40]I I have already solicited the assistance of the Minister of National Security on this matter.

[00:04:49]Cuz I'm glad you raised it because we are now we we haven't completed the investigation.

[00:04:54]We are ongoing.

[00:04:56]I have presented already to our Prime Minister what pertained in his constituency Northern Grenadines.

[00:05:05]I am also in the process of presenting to Central Leeward representative some of the same constraints. They are serious issues and they will impact the outcome of our performance.

[00:05:24]Secondly Madam Speaker I'm just seeing you because I don't want that they get too flustered.

[00:05:39]The loans this is a major challenge once again that we have encountered in our attempt to restart the housing program. And when I say loans, I'm speaking here directly to companies which were involved in the procurement of materials and you asked about materials.

[00:06:02]So, we had several agencies companies that we sourced materials from.

[00:06:12]And on taking taking up the position of Housing Minister, we we realized that we owe these people so much money that we have to now go and negotiate renegotiate which we have done in some instances, but the debt is so high that we could not have paid all of them.

[00:06:31]Otherwise, it would have taken all the money and you would not have any need to ask any question cuz your answer would have been zero.

[00:06:38]So, we had to go and renegotiate.

[00:06:41]Right? We had two companies out of Jamaica two companies one by the name of Tangwell and the other one ah those two companies are still owed significant amount of money.

[00:06:55]We have been able to negotiate with one of our local hardware stores.

[00:07:02]And so, we have been able to well, we have been able to source some materials from them in their consideration for us that they want to do business with us and our intention to do some local business as well. We have started collecting some materials from them and that will aid me in my answer to your question. Right?

[00:07:22]We have also started consultation with the galvanized people the [clears throat] email people to ensure that we are able to cover over 1.6 million dollars that is owed to them. I really don't want to put the people's business and our business on the road.

[00:07:40]Right? You could understand where I'm coming from. So, I don't really want to give full figures here, but it's important to show that after we had spent all this money we are still at a situation now where for example in Union Island where we want to ensure the people of Union Island that this government is concerned about their situation in terms of housing and so, we we have restarted our warehouse we have set set up and we have already identified material to go to Union Island hopefully by next week.

[00:08:15]And Minister, I hope you could we could take me up on that. We should be going back to Union Island by next week.

[00:08:23]The problem with Union Island is that the materials that were supposed to be there available to re- start the program were delivered or handed out without any regard for accountability.

[00:08:36]Any regard not even a nail was left in Union Island.

[00:08:42]So, we basically are starting from scratch in Union Island. And I'm hoping that during the course of this year we will be able to set Union Island back on its feet.

[00:08:56]Starting this year. So, we are hoping from the steel frame standpoint that we would be able to set up we we have already identified two platform two platforms two bases that the previous administration put up. They were only able to put up two bases in Union Island two bases not even a house not even one.

[00:09:18]Steel frame you have one and a base. So, the other one not complete. But I'm taking the advice of the Minister. Of course, he's in a position to tell.

[00:09:28]Of course, one of the challenges that we are facing as well is that of land the availability of lands in Union Island and other Grenadine Island.

[00:09:40]I really don't know how I'm we were not able to find at least a 95 acre land somewhere in Union Island where we could put up a few homes. We weren't able to do that. So, we have to take what little we are able to to get. But apart from that our >> together. But, apart from that, our emphasis is not only on building new homes. It is also on retrofitting and repairing homes that were damaged. I think that's where most of our work will be based this for the the um continuation of this year. Because right now, the hurricane season is upon us, and we can't hope to achieve building new home before hurricane season comes on us.

[00:13:17]Right? So, right now, we are in a situation where we have been repairing homes, and I'm glad to say that we have our assessors on board in every constituency.

[00:13:30]We are in the process of training these assessors so that they could go to the homes and ensure that the materials that are assessed as needed are used. And I'm warning our people and show that you make you you know that you need these materials before you come for them. We don't want a repeat of the fiasco that was there as a disguise for distributing material. We don't want that again.

[00:13:59]So, we are ensuring that train our assessors, and we are doing a follow-up program.

[00:14:06]We are following up those persons who have received materials to ensure that they are using them. And that they they they also take on board our advice for resilience, especially knowing that we are facing hurricane season in a short time. So, we are also encouraging you not just to rebuild, but to rebuild better and make sure that you take into consideration that we may face another disaster, God forbid.

[00:14:33]Right? So, that's one of the other constraints that we had where the materials were used up. But, I'm pleased to announce, Senator, that we are on track once again to rebuild people's homes.

[00:14:49]We are on track.

[00:14:51]And not only are we on track now, but we are on track in a more responsible manner.

[00:14:57]I want us to make note of that.

[00:15:02]So much so that I was informed that we no longer at housing are able to make direct payments to anybody.

[00:15:09]Everything now must go through the treasury system so that we could have proper accountability.

[00:15:16]Nobody going to sign up and tell people sign up anything, and we have 10, 15 houses in one constituency that are supposed to be built, but they can't find them. Matter of fact, you know, in one constituency that they said the house was built, the land for that house, you know.

[00:15:34]Yet, all the money was already paid.

[00:15:36]So, that house You may have some in Natalie.