NAMALCO denies EMBD ‘windfall’

Project director for La Brea-based contractor NAMALCO Lenny Sookram has denied that the company benefitted from a “windfall” from the Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBD).

Yesterday, Sookram returned to the witness stand for further cross-examination by EMBD’s two lead counsel, Jonathan Davis,QC, and George Hayman,QC.

Questioned about a supplementary agreement for an additional 32 hectares at the Petit Morne site, Sookram said NAMALCO was entitled to renegotiate rates with EMBD since the original project was expanded as it required the deployment of additional resources.

The original tender price for the project was $76 million but with the supplementary agreement the contract price totaled $204 million, but Sookram said the company worked for the money.

“I won’t say it was a windfall. We worked for the money,” he said in reply to Hayman, who also asked him NAMALCO entered into the agreement knowing that it was not in EMBD’s best interest.

“I don’t know it was not in the best interest of EMBD. EMBD changed the scope of works so we were entitled to revise our rates,” Sookram said.

In earlier testimony, Sookram said, in response to allegations of NAMALCO making unjustified claims, denied that the company was “reckless” and thought it would “get away with it.” He said EMBD never raised concerns and, on some occasions, NAMALCO was being “helpful” by doing the engineer’s job.