FORMER Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) executive chairman Calder Hart says he has no intention of skipping out on any proceedings against him in Trinidad and Tobago......
Hart's history in T&T
Canada-born John Calder Hart was recruited in 1986 to set up the Home Mortgage Bank.....
Hart served on the board of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) since its inception in 1994, became its chairman in 2002 and appointed executive chairman in 2006........
Hart was also chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company Ltd (TTMF), the National Insurance Board (NIB) and the National Insurance Property Development Company Ltd (NIPDEC)........
• November 2005 — Calls by the Joint Consultative Council (JCC) for his removal as UDeCOTT chairman are made following a series of forensic audits on the agency........
• November 18, 2005 — Hart categorically denies allegations that he or his wife has, or ever had any interest in Malaysia-based company CH Development or its parent company Sunway Caribbean Ltd.........
• May 12, 2006 — Hart announces that government will spend $630 million on National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA) Centres at Port of Spain and San Fernando.......
• April 18, 2007 — Hart lashes out at critics of UDeCOTT saying attempts are being made to mislead the people of Trinidad and Tobago into thinking that the Government's construction and development programme is a waste of ta,xpayers' money........
• May 11, 2007 — Hart says there can be no comparison between the $558 million Brian Lara Stadium and the $1.6 billion Piarco International Airport terminal project.........
• May 12, 2007 — Hart says his team did not anticipate the construction of the Brian Lara Stadium would end up costing taxpayers more than $500 million. He said the cost of construction materials and the relocation of the site for the project pushed its price tag above even Udecott's highest projections.......
• May 18, 2007 — UDeCOTT announces a profit of $19.6 million for the year 2006.......
• May 20, 2007 — Hart says if Opposition Senator Wade Mark has evidence of any wrongdoing by UDeCOTT he should hand it over to the authorities. He says no such evidence exists.....
• May 25, 2007 — Hart says total financing for the Waterfront Project in Port of Spain is within budget at US$375 million (TT$2.34 billion). He says any allegation of a cost overrun are "mischievous, utterly ridiculous and a complete misunderstanding of the principles of project financing".........
• April 23, 2008 — Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley is dismissed from the Cabinet by then prime minister Patrick Manning. Rowley says the disagreement came over the role of UDeCOTT and the institution's apparent access to public funds without proper oversight........
• April 28, 2008 — The Integrity Commission launches an investigation into statements made by Rowley that Hart approached him to meet with Hafeez Karamath, a failed bidder for the award of the contract for the construction of the $100 million Customs Building, while he was Minister of Planning.......
• May 7, 2008 — Several interest groups from within the business sector, construction industry and the labour movement calls on Government to launch an independent forensic investigation into the operations of UDeCOTT.......
• May 23, 2008 — UDeCOTT, in response to former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, defends Hart saying neither Hart, his wife, members of the UDeCOTT Board and its management staff have ever had any beneficial, financial and or legal interest whatsoever in CH Development Ltd, Sunway Construction Caribbean Ltd and or Sunway Construction SDN BHD.......
• May 23, 2008 — Then prime minister Patrick Manning announces in Parliament the establishment of a Commission of Enquiry into the construction sector, which would include UDeCOTT.....
• September 1, 2008 — UDeCOTT announces an after-tax profit of $24.86 million for its financial half-year ended June 30, 2008.......
• September 12, 2008 — Opposition chief whip calls on then prime minister Patrick Manning to resign "because he has been protecting UDeCOTT chairman Calder Hart even though there is a cloud of corruption around him". Maharaj says Manning is not telling the truth when he told the Parliament he did not know of a single serious substantial allegation of corruption as it related to UDeCOTT......
• October 6, 2008 — Opposition Senator Wade Mark calls on Hart to account for $30.9 million in seating for the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, which he claims has gone missing.......
• 12 January 2009 — Commission of Enquiry into UDeCOTT starts. Dr Keith Rowley first witness to be called...
• April 8, 2009 — Then prime minister Patrick Manning endorses the performance and capability of UDeCOTT and singles out Hart at the official launch of the Port of Spain International Waterfront Project........
• March 4, 2010 — Congress of the People (COP) produces documents, marriage and birth certificates of Sherrine Lee Hart, wife of Calder Hart, her sister and one of the directors of the firm CH Development, confirming that Calder Hart, had a family connection to CH Development, the company which UDeCOTT awarded a $367 million contract to build the Legal Affairs Ministry tower.......
• March 6, 2010 — Hart resigns from UDeCOTT with immediate effect and takes a flight out to Ft Lauderdale, Florida.......
• October 6, 2011 — DPP Roger Gaspard says ongoing investigations could lead to Hart being charged for lying under oath at the Commission of Enquiry.......
• May 1, 2012 — Attorney General Anand Ramlogan initiates a $65 million lawsuit against Hart in relation to the still incomplete Brian Lara Cricket Academy at Tarouba. Hart is accused of failing to ensure the renewal of advance payment bonds or, alternatively, recovery of $65,680,978.88 representing the balance of the advance payments made to contractor Hafeez Karamath Ltd by UDeCOTT......
