Robert Hart and Tyrone Reid, Gleaner Reporters
OPPOSITION LEADER Bruce Golding has accused members of the committee set up to examine the manufacturing foul-up that led to the release of faulty cement from the Caribbean Cement Company Ltd., of attempting to cover up the extent of the problem.
Mr. Golding made the claim early yesterday morning during a marathon sitting of Parliament's Standing Finance Committee as it reviewed the 2006/2007 Estimates of Expenditure.
While questioning Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Science and Technology, on how much he knew about the ongoing cement crisis, Mr. Golding revealed that he was in possession of the minutes of the committee's first meeting during which the alleged cover-up was discussed.
"(Are) you not aware of a statement, contained in the minutes of the first meeting of that committee, where they were made aware of the extent of the problem, when it was recorded in the minutes that nothing should be said publicly about the matter?" the Opposition Leader asked Mr. Paulwell.
The Commerce Minister responded: "No, because they would not supply me with the minutes of the meeting."
Mr. Golding asked "Would you like me to send you a copy of it? I will."
Mr. Paulwell replied: "Much obliged."
But Junior Gordon, of the University of Technology (UTech) and a member of the special committee, challenged Mr. Golding to present the evidence.
MAKE IT PUBLIC
"Tell him to make it public ... Let him produce the evidence," he told The Gleaner yesterday.
Team leader George Blankson, who is also from UTech, said the investigative team has not released any information or findings so they cannot be accused of attempting to engineer a cover-up.
Both Mr. Golding and Clive Mullings, Opposition spokesman on commerce, also suggested the cement company had planned to release 19,000 tonnes of faulty cement, in a mixture with sand, to the market.
But Alice Hyde, marketing manager at Caribbean Cement categorically denied the claim.
"There is absolutely no truth to that report," she stressed. Ms. Hyde said CCCL does have some cement in its possession which has been quarantined and "definitely cannot be sold in its current form."
However, she pointed out that her company was in discussions with the Bureau of Standards to determine how the substandard cement is disposed of. She said it is the company's aim to ensure that the cement is treated in a manner that is in accordance with the existing regulations.
Although claiming he was unaware of any plan to distribute faulty cement, Mr. Paulwell said yesterday that the Bureau of Standards has been actively supervising the cement company and its product distribution.
The Commerce Minister indicated that the report from the Committee is expected some time in May.
