A letter has been sent to the attorney representing former executive chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott), Calder Hart, at the ongoing commission of enquiry into the Las Alturas housing development, seeking to find out if and when he will make an appearance. Reading from a letter yesterday, which had been forwarded to Hart’s attorney Tecla Duncan on Tuesday, commission attorney Jagdeo Singh said they were awaiting a response on Hart’s behalf after they received a request for an extension.
In response to questions by commission chairman, retired Justice Mustapha Ibrahim, Singh revealed Duncan had written to the commission on May 5, stating Hart “was on the seas” and was not expected to return until May 15. This letter was later followed by another letter, dated May 22, in which Duncan asked for time to respond to the package which had been sent to Hart’s address at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Meanwhile, civil engineer Winston Chin Fong who was employed by Udecott during March 2004 to January 2014 testified he never saw any other approvals other than the initial outline approval from the Town and Country Planning Division. Led by attorney Richard Mason, he said project designer, Planning Associates Ltd (PAL) was required to obtain all approvals but he was uncertain if they had been acquired.
Admitting that Udecott was aware of the land slippage at the site, Chin Fong recalled the community concern about its access being cut off to other areas within the community as construction work continued at the site at Lady Young Road, Morvant. Chin Fong said he did not know if anyone had advised Udecott not to build at the site.
Lennox Smith, who is the leader of the social development group Laventille for Laventillians testified earlier this week that he had advised Udecott not to build on the site.
At a glance
The commission of enquiry was set up to investigate “the entire process which led to the construction of the Las Alturas Towers at Lady Young Gardens, Morvant, and all other acts, matters or decisions done or undertaken incidental to and including the construction” of the project, which include the procurement process.
Two multi-storey units of the Las Alturas housing project began falling apart after construction and the $26 million towers were earmarked for demolition. They were part of a larger project, which was originally budgeted at $65 million and then rose to $90 million. The commission is chaired by former Justice of Appeal Mustapha Ibrahim. The other members include civil engineers Dr Myron Wing-Sang Chin and Anthony Farrell.