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The State may be forced to foot the bill for hiring over 2,300 interns at the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) in the lead-up to the April 28 General Election. Housing Minister Phillip Alexander says files will soon be handed over to Attorney General John Jeremie, detailing how the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration allegedly used the HDC as a political tool.
During Monday night’s Senate debate on the Finance (Supplementary Appropriation) (Financial Year 2025) Bill, Alexander said the files alleged that former ministers orchestrated the hiring. Alongside Housing Minister David Lee and Minister in the Ministry of Housing Anil Roberts, Alexander claimed he discovered an $81 million shortfall in the ministry’s accounts: funds critical for operations and recurrent expenditure that should have been in the original budget.
Their probe revealed that ad hoc decisions and unbudgeted spending had taken place, including the sudden onboarding of temporary workers in March and April.
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