Submitted by AAA (as a comment)
Attention: The Minister of Finance, Christopher Sinckler
Your Budget presentation and wrap up session was keenly observed by many. When all hope seemed lost you then addressed the Pierhead Marina saga. This was under the guise of HMBS Pelican base at Spring Garden and the faults with that design and construction. You attempted to link the Pierhead Marina designers Halcrow to the minor construction problems with HMBS Pelican although you know that reports on the issue of liability have repeatedly indicated the problems rest squarely with the contractors and developers JADA CONSTRUCTION LIMITED and or abnormal sea conditions.
It was a crude mistake made by an immature politician who already on this ice for having tried his level best to leapfrog Freundel Stuart MP for the post of prime minister, has taken on additional political liability which he himself cannot imagine and the likes of which will severely damage is political ambitions including the position of Minister of Finance. Mr. Sinckler has shown his hand the result being he will have a brand seared into his palm for all to see.
This is a man that certain special interest factions sought to have elevated to Prime Minister, its a good thing his fellow MPs realized the problem that would create and back raised him when the vote was called on the morning of David Thompson’s death.
Having defamed the reputation of a company whose annual revenue is nearly that of the total annual budget of Barbados, the Minister of Finance can look forward to lawsuit for defamation from the same company. The privilege of parliament will not protect him, remember Don Blackman and COW Williams? The Privy Council ruled against parliamentary privilege, sure Mr. Sinckler is aware of this.
Halcrow delivers planning, design and management services for developing infrastructure and buildings worldwide. They contribute to the construction, operation and maintenance of the built environment, and the protection, enhancement and maintenance of the natural environment and operate in almost every country in the world. Halcrow has been working for the Government of Barbados for over 30 years.
Halcrow are the designers for the HMBS Pelican. The Government of Barbados has paid all of Halcrows invoices and have not attempted to call in the cash bond held by the GOB nor have they attempted to bring a case against Halcrow for breach of a duty of care owed by Halcrow to the Government of Barbados.
You see, the issue of the so-called problems with Halcrow at the HMBS Pelican are just that so-called problems, no proof whatsover yet the Minister of Finance would have us believe that the GOB Barbados would have to look for bajan 20M to fix the problems there. The Leader of the Opposition has the files which includes the estimates to fix the problems created at HMBS Pelican by JADA CONSTRUCTION LIMITED, they don’t exceed bajan 1.0 M.
Where the Minister of Finance is going with this is to the Pierhead Marina project, which co-incidentally is also designed by Halcrow. That project has been the subject of much debate primarily lead by the Leader of the Opposition and which centered out the DLP contention that bajan 48 M needs to be spent to redesign the Pierhead Marina notwithstanding that GOB Barbados had paid bajan 15 M for Halcrow to design that project. All of the Halcrow designs are conpleted, tested and all that remains is for the GOB thru the BTI to build the Marina.
The allusion of having to redesign the Pierhead Marina has its origins in the fact that when the BTI tendered the project in 2007, the tender of VECO/SMI/Glyne Bannister was twice the price of the lowest tender. Remember Glyne Bannister and VECO are of the Dodds Prison fame, Darcy Boyce was the CEO of BTI at the time the Pierhead Marina was tendered and Darcy Boyce was also on the tender evaluation commitee of the DODDS Prison, remember the Nation newspaper article? Darcy Boyce and Glyne Bannister are close friends and partners in business.
This nastiness at the Pierhead Marina, the attempt to waste 48 M has already cost Sen Darcy Boyce his position. In the last cabinet reshuffle before his death David Thompson removed BTI from his responsibility. Unfortunately the Minister of Finance appears to have taken up where Darcy Boyce left off and is almost certain that he will be demoted also.
What neither Darcy Boyce or Christopher Sinckler know is that former Prime Minister David Thompson had a peer review done on the design at the Pierhead Marina, ask the former chairman, he has a copy.
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