Watchdog group Fixin’ T&T wants Prime Minister Keith Rowley to remove Noel Garcia as chairman of one of the largest State enterprises over allegations of misconduct.
The group’s leader, Kirk Waithe, told CNC3 News last night that the findings of the commission of enquiry report into Las Alturas were scathing of Garcia, then managing director of the Housing Development Corporation.
The report found that Garcia should be held accountable and liable for the losses sustained by HDC when he was its managing director for the problems that arose in two of the multi-storey apartment buildings which are now earmarked for demolition. Garcia now sits as chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott) and Waithe said he was unfit to serve.
Waithe said he was concerned that Rowley seemed to defend Garcia just last week. He said it was the same way he defended former housing minister Marlene Mc Donald in the face of serious allegations about her conduct. “The only responsible action for Dr Rowley to treat with, with respect to Noel Garcia is to immediately remove him as the chairman of Udecott,” Waithe said.
Garcia has already indicated his intention to challenge the findings of the commission because he said the findings were flawed. Yesterday, Garcia told CNC3 he was still deliberating with his lawyer, but no decision has yet been taken.
On December 2, 2014, retired justice Mustapha Ibrahim was appointed chairman of the enquiry with Dr Myron Wing-Sang Chin and Anthony Farrell appointed as members.
Meanwhile, head of the T&T Transparency Institute, Deryck Murray. wants the recommendations of the report implemented. Murray did not address the specific issue of Garcia’s suitability to lead the billion dollar State enterprise in light of the recommendations. However, he said they should not be ignored.
“We have instances where these reports tend to be filed away and recommendations not being put into effect. There is really a lack of learning from previous experiences and from the Transparency Institute perspective we want to see it given priority consideration,” Murray said.
On Friday the report on the commission of enquiry into the construction of the Las Alturas housing project at Lady Young Gardens, Morvant, was laid in Parliament.
The report stated: “There is no ground from which we can advise that criminal proceedings ought to be brought against anyone.”
However, the commission recommended that civil liability action be taken against Udecott, its former executive chairman Calder Hart, the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and Garcia.