Dionne Rose, Parliamentary Reporter

Some US$980,000 (approximately J$65 million) is still owed, under the controversial Sandals Whitehouse hotel construction project, to contractors Ashtrom Building Systems Limited, according to the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

The UDC was the project manager on the controversial development which was completed with cost overruns of more than US$43 million (J$2.8 billion).

In responding to questions from Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member Audley Shaw, Marjorie Campbell, the UDC's chief executive officer, told the committee yesterday that while all other outstanding monies, including equity by partners had been settled, the Israel-based company that worked on the project is yet to get the outstanding sum.

But it was Denise Arana, assistant general manager at the National Investment Bank of Jamaica (NIBJ), who divulged how much was outstanding to the company.

"ANDCO (Ackendown Newtown Development Company) has made a request for additional funds but that has not yet been taken to our board," she said.

However, Mrs. Campbell explained that this sum was a part of the US$113 million of the overall cost of the project.

The NIBJ provided funding on the project and is also a joint shareholder in ANDCO. The NIBJ assistant general manager said the entity first became aware that there would be cost overruns on the project one month before its completion in February 2005.

The NIBJ, UDC and Alston Stewart, head of Nevalco - the subcontractor on the project - are to reappear before to the PAC next week Tuesday.