By Lynford Simpson, Staff Reporter
Blythe and Panty
ARRESTS REMAIN a possibility as the probe into the Operation PRIDE/National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) scandal, which rocked the People's National Party (PNP) Government in February and March of this year, continues.
In April, Dr. Karl Blythe, former Water and Housing Minister, resigned after the publication of a report showing massive cost overruns on several PRIDE projects and amid allegations of routine Ministerial interference.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Kent Panty Q.C. is now in possession of one of the files from the investigation carried out by the Fraud Squad which, according to a Gleaner source, points to suspected fraud at the West Albion PRIDE project in St. Thomas.
West Albion was one of several PRIDE schemes recommended for further forensic investigation by the four-member Angus Commission which probed allegations of mismanagement, massive cost overruns and corruption at the NHDC which manages Operation PRIDE schemes.
Others included Morant Farms, also in St. Thomas, and the St. Benedicts scheme in St. Andrew.
Sources close to the investigations emphasised the possibility of fraud was highly likely. The sources, however, cautioned the public should await the ruling of the DPP "before rushing to judgement".
The Fraud Squad reportedly investigated charges that officers of the NHDC were made to sign, under duress, certificates that work totalling $14 million was done on the West Albion project. The squad is continuing its investigations on the Morant Farms, St. Benedict's and Melbrook schemes.
In the case of Morant Farms, a report from the Contractor-General in March noted that a $35 million payment was made to Danwills Construction for work reportedly not carried out at the time. The report said the contractor's certificate of claim in the amount of $35.477 million included items of work not done such as backfilling of sidewalk areas with excavated materials for $493,975; and rock excavation valued at $3.84 million.
In March, Mr. Pantry asked the Fraud Squad to probe the activities of the two state-run entities, the same time the Angus Commission was conducting its probe.
An initiative of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, PRIDE, the Programme for Resettlement and Integrated Development, is geared to providing houses primarily for the low-income sector.
