Manning concedes: Udecott cut corners

Trinidad Guardian

Prime Minister Patrick Manning last night conceded that State enterprise Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) may have “cut corners” in order to deliver on its mandate. Manning also stated that the governance model with Udecott and other special purpose and state enterprises “require improvements.”

He said such companies “cut corners all the time,” but that this was done in order to get around bureaucracy and to meet the demands placed on them. Manning identified Housing Development Corporation (HDC) as one state enterprise which the Government has had to “fix.” He said there have been similar circumstances at local government bodies.

Manning gave an example of a local government entity breaking up contracts in order to permit approval by the chief executive officer. “We have to address governance issues,”

Manning told a panel of journalists—Hans Hanoomansingh of Heritage Radio, Juhel Browne of CNMG and Anthony Wilson, acting editor-in-chief of the Guardian. He touted special purpose companies as being required in order to deliver on projects, stating that the public sector was established to serve administrative purposes.

Manning also stoutly denied that there was Government funding in the Lighthouse of the Lord Jesus Christ Church at the Heights of Guanapo.

“There was no state funding, none at all,” he stressed. He stated that the Government assisted the church in the manner in which it has helped other places of wor