A corruption and conflict of interest scandal has thrown Trinidad and Tobago’s massive $3.4 billion public housing programme into limbo, after a whistleblower complaint prompted regulators to order an immediate halt to newly awarded contracts. The case centers on a senior official at the country’s Housing Development Corporation (HDC), who is alleged to have long-standing personal and private business ties to two of the 11 contractors that secured shares of the multi-billion public works package.
Shortly after the HDC announced the list of winning contractors for the public-private partnership programme in early April, the Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) received multiple formal and informal complaints. Acting on these submissions — which included a formal complaint filed on behalf of activist Wendell Eversley by attorney Randall Mitchell — the regulator ordered the state-owned housing agency to suspend all programme activities pending a full, independent review of the entire bidding and award process.
Multiple independent sources with direct knowledge of the award process and the ongoing investigation have confirmed to local outlet the Sunday Express that the ties between the HDC official and the two contractors date back roughly a decade. The first contractor, a prominent local businessman who owns a popular chain of retail stores, previously purchased an entire chain of businesses from the HDC official. While the businessman’s company currently holds contracts with another state entity, multiple sources confirmed it has never led a large-scale residential construction project before this award.
Records indicate the second contractor also shares a long personal and professional history with the HDC official. Around 10 years ago, the two partnered on a private housing development in Trinidad’s Freeport area, and the HDC official previously hired the second contractor to complete renovation and repair work on multiple commercial properties across the country. The second contractor also has well-documented business ties to the first contractor, and has assisted in constructing several of the first contractor’s commercial buildings over the years. Sources familiar with the investigation confirm these overlapping relationships will be a core focus of the OPR’s review.
Public concerns about the integrity of the procurement process were first raised by opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) officials, including Member of Parliament Camille Robinson-Regis and former prime minister Stuart Young. Young publicly questioned the qualifications of multiple winning firms, noting that many of the awarded companies have little to no prior experience delivering large-scale housing construction projects. A check of the Ministry of Land and Legal Affairs’ Companies Registry Online System confirmed all winning companies have been legally registered in the country for multiple years, though that verification does not address their industry experience.
When contacted for comment last Friday, HDC chairman Feeroz Khan declined to speak on the record about the allegations. “Given that the matters relating to the procurement process in question are currently engaging the attention of the Office of the Procurement Regulation, Senior Counsel has advised that the matter is sub judice, and hence it would be improper to comment on same,” Khan said.