450,000 pages of evidence

Over 450,000 pages of evidence will be considered during what is considered as one of this country’s largest civil trials in which mega contrating firm Namalco has filed a lawsuit against a state entity seeking payment of $1.3 billion, owed for several contracts which were completed.

Namalco Project Director, Lenny Sookram, maintained yesterday that as far as he knew there were no complaints or suggestions made by the Estate Management Business Development Company (EMBD relating to the accuracy or reliability of the tests done by his company.

Sookram was one of three more witnesses to testify for the La Brea-based contractor in its $1.3 billion claim for payment for work done for the EMBD to develop lands owned by former Caroni (1975) Limited at four project sites. The trial which is expected to last a month is being heard by Justice Ricky Rahim at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain.

On Tuesday when the trial began, Sookram began his testimony. He completed his evidence yesterday and again defended the company in fulfilling its contractual obligations on the projects. Namalco engaged in conducting infrastructural works for four projects at Cedar Hill, Roopsingh Road, Petite Morne and Picton.

Sookram said throughout the process there were walk-throughs of the projects where issues would be discussed. He said while tests were being done at the sites, the engineers hired by EMBD would be present and records for quality control were available to all the parties, including EMBD for inspection. He said Namalco, when submitting its interim payment applications which included the various items of work and measurements, left it up to the engineers to agree on the quality of work and certify it.

As to the differences in the bill of qualities and the actual work done, any difference would be worked out in the field, everyone would agree and then he’d make his application for payment. According to him the contract was a measurable one and and while there were no objections raised by the EMBD, issues that cropped up were sorted out.

According to Sookram, his company inherited failures on some of the sites, which included landslips, and along with the engineers, Namalco came up with solutions to these problems.

Also testifying was the head of Namalco’s surveying department, Alvin Gopie. Admitting that he could not provide some of the documentation relating to the projects since his electronic files were on his computer which was seized by police during a raid of Namalco’s compound in 2017, Gopie said he was on the site for the projects.

At the start of yesterday’s proceedings, Rahim threw out an application by Namalco for disclosure of redacted EMBD board minutes which they said were relative to sewer deficiencies at some of the sites.