Equipment left to ‘rot’ – minister

Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance Dr William Duguid is lambasting the former Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration for abandoning over $5 million in trucks, bobcats and other equipment eight years ago, which he said are now deteriorated and are of no good use.

Dr Duguid told members of the media today during a press briefing at The Gate, Old Barbados Water Authority (BWA) building, St Michael, where the trucks are currently parked, that in 2013 the vehicles were driven into what was then the Drainage Unit at Prince Road depot, St Michael and abandoned.

He argued that at that time, the trucks were in working condition and could have been put to good use at other departments, including the National Housing Corporation (NHC), Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW), and other ministries in need of these resources.

Dr Duguid said this action by the former administration, is a total disgrace and a mismanagement of taxpayers’ money.

“When they brought the National Enhancement Environmental Programme to an end in 2013 and put those people out of work, they put down not only these trucks, but they also put down the trailers, and the bobcats that you saw at the back there, and just left them to rot. From time to time people would cannibalize them, take off parts. It is just a total disgrace.

“When I went to the ministry, I believe there were 12-13 trucks and we salvaged about three of them by pulling parts from others to make up three and I think we were able to use some of those trailers by repurposing them. The bobcats were un-savable and you see a whole set of them back there. I think National Housing Corporation (NHC) would have gotten one, but apart from that, they were un-savable. Each of these trucks had a trailer and bobcat.”

The minister further explained that at the time the trucks were abandoned in 2013, they each cost between BDS$200 000 and BDS$250 000.

Dr Duguid said: “And they obviously had good use and were still able to provide good service to the people of Barbados. But instead the Democratic Labour Party administration chose to just park them there and let them deteriorate to the point now that they are totally unusable, and it is just sad. (anesthenry@barbadostoday.bb)