'Iwer' to pay Carenage man $.1M

SOCA singer and businessman Neil “Iwer” George has been ordered to pay to a Carenage man a total of $102,279 for the purchase of an outboard marine engine, cleaning of tanks on the singer’s boat, unpaid rental of a pirogue for six months in 2012 and the costs of parts and material.

The order was made by Justice James Aboud in the Port of Spain High Court following a trial on Wednesday.

Calvin LaVende took George to court for the unpaid debts dating back seven years ago. LaVende said George owed him for work he did on the singer’s party boat, Coral Vision, rental of a pirogue, the sale of the boat engine and to repair the pirogue after it was returned to him by George.

He said he had a verbal contract with George who reneged.

The judge ordered George to pay $5,000 which was the balance owed on the engine, $20,000 for the cleaning of four tanks that were attached to the party boat, $54,000 for the rental of the pirogue over a six-month period at a rate of $300 per day and an additional $23,000 for repairs to the damaged pirogue.

La Vende was represented by attorney Matthew Gayle, while George was represented by Peter Taylor.

In his testimony, La Vende, who was a janitor on the Coral Vision, said he asked by the singer if he was able to get an engine to attach to a life raft. La Vende said he told George he could and the two agree that the singer would pay him $7,000 for the engine.

La Vende said he only received $2,000 after attaching the engine to the raft and delivering it to the Coral Vision where it was docked in Sea Lots.

He said George also rented his pirogue to transport food, drinks, and workers to the Coral Vision when it was out at sea but he was never paid.

He also said he was asked to clean four tanks under the vessel which contained fuel.

La Vende said after he sent George his invoice, the singer refused to pay and when he got back his pirogue, it was damaged.

George, who also testified at the trial, said when he got the engine, the captain said it could not work. He said he purchased another engine from someone else to attach to the raft.

He denied renting the pirogue, saying he used the raft to transport ice and other items to his boat.

"I can't be held accountable for something I did not rent," he stated.

George said he has since sold the Coral Visio, although the boat’s captain testified that he was still employed by the singer as the captain of the party boat.