Finance Minister Colm Imbert has denied claims by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the ANR Robinson International Airport expansion project in Crown Point, Tobago, has incurred cost overruns of $462 million and is failing to meet specifications and building codes.
He said there has been a cost overrun of US$2.5 million and the project is running behind schedule but construction is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet media briefing on December 5, Imbert said the original construction contract sum was US$128.7 million, inclusive of provisional sums and contingencies.
'The amount for contingencies in the contract was US$11.5 million and the actual costing of the provisional and contingency items is now about US$14 million. This was included in the original contract sum.
"As of today, the original contract sum has been exceeded by US$2.5 million, or two per cent.
'(This is) as a result of variations arising from enhancement of the information and communications technology (ICT) and extra-low voltage (ELV) components of the job, worldwide increases in the cost of airport equipment and construction materials in the aftermath of the covid19 pandemic, roadworks and claims for delays from the pandemic, among other things. There is no cost overrun of $462 million as falsely claimed by the Opposition Leader.'
He said the contractors would make other claims but the process was that the employer and the project engineers would look at these and determine what the contractor is entitled to, and if the contractor is not happy with that, it would go to the dispute resolution process.
Addressing Persad-Bissessar's claims that there were multiple instances of failure to meet specifications and building codes on the terminal building's superstructure and foundation, requiring a criminal investigation, Imbert said, 'The foundation and superstructure of the terminal building are safe, and the entire project, including the foundation and superstructure, is being built in accordance with the appropriate international standards and building codes, suitable for an international airport.
"There are no multiple failures of specifications or breaches of building codes as falsely alleged by the Opposition Leader.
He said he was given this information by one of the international consultants engaged by the ministry to oversee the project.
'What on earth would a criminal investigation be required for? Why? Just because she said so? What is the rationale, tell me? What is the criminal offence that has been committed that requires a criminal investigation?
'This is completely unlike the Piarco Airport where the foreign contractor pleaded guilty in a court in the US, went to jail and paid restitution and now there's a civil matter, the court has awarded almost $1 billion to the TT government. What is the crime that has allegedly been committed on this project? I would like to know. This is just scandalisation by the leader of the Opposition. I cannot associate mysel
