Auditor General breaks silence on HOPE Inc. controversy

Auditor General Leigh Trotman has broken his silence on a special investigation into Home Ownership Providing Energy Inc. (HOPE Inc.), clarifying that recent media reports were based on a draft document that has not been finalised or officially issued.

In a statement, Trotman explained that his office is currently finalising the audit and is awaiting responses to the draft report, which are expected by Friday. He gave an assurance that the final report would be issued shortly after receiving these responses.

The Auditor General’s Office is “in the process of finalising the audit” and is “currently awaiting a response to the Draft Report,” he said. This response is expected by “March 21, 2025” and “the final Report will be issued shortly after.”

Trotman’s comments come as the government moves to address speculation sparked by the draft report. Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance Dwight Sutherland, speaking at a St Michael South Barbados Labour Party branch meeting on Sunday, urged the public to “dispel the notion of a lawsuit” against HOPE Inc., confirming that no legal action is planned.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley also weighed in, dismissing claims made in an article and stressing that there is neither a lawsuit nor a pre-action protocol letter, which is necessary before initiating civil court proceedings. She further noted that Parliament has not published any official report on the special audit of HOPE Inc.’s building programme.

She insisted: “Not only is there no lawsuit, there is not a pre-action protocol letter that is necessary before you bring any lawsuit against any party in the civil courts of this country.”

Reading from a “statement issued by Parliament earlier that day,” Mottley declared: “The Parliament of Barbados had not published any report of any special audit on the building programme HOPE by the Auditor General.”

(BT)