Former chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Dr. Vin Lawrence (right) and Alston Stewart, head of Nevalco Consultants, the former sub-contractor on the controversial Sandals Whitehouse project, exit Gordon House following yesterday's sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Representatives of the UDC appeared before the PAC yesterday to answer questions on the US$43 million cost overrun on the project. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Former Board chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Dr. Vin Lawrence, appeared in the gallery of the Parliament building yesterday as the UDC appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Dr. Lawrence was forced to tender his resignation from the UDC board and all other state boards following the tabling of the Contractor General's report in Parliament, in July, on the massive cost overruns on the controversial Sandals Whitehouse project. The report had presented findings of impropriety and a blatant disregard of Government's procedures by the UDC, which was the project manager.

No interviews

Yesterday, Dr. Lawrence refused to grant any interviews as journalists tried relentlessly to get a comment from him. It is not yet clear whether PAC chairman, Audley Shaw, will be summoning Dr. Lawrence before the PAC.

At the first sitting of the PAC, which is examining the overruns on the Westmoreland-based hotel, Mr. Shaw said it was not the custom of the PAC to summon former heads of agencies to answer questions.

"Unless the members have a specific desire to speak with Dr. Lawrence, our tradition here is that we speak to executive people who are in charge of the various organisations at the time when we are examining an issue," said Mr. Shaw.

But Mr. Shaw said the PAC reserved the right to summon Dr. Lawrence if the current head of the UDC is unable to provide information that the committee needs.

Meanwhile, Alston Stewart, who heads Nevalco Consultants, which was subcontractor on the project, also turned up in the gallery during yesterday's sitting.

The forensic audit team blasted the UDC and its subcontractor, Nevalco Consultants, as being primarily responsible for the cost overruns of US$43 million on the project.

- D.R.