David Thompson Gives Prime Minister Owen Arthur 30 Days To Start An Investigation Into Hardwood Housing Factory Incorporated Or Clyde Mascoll Will Face No Confidence Motion

The opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) launched a scathing attack on the credibility and integrity of Clyde Mascoll at a political meeting in Deacons Road last night. All the speakers: Derek Alleyne, Richard Sealy, Michael Lashley, David Estwick, Chris Sinckler, culminating with Leader of the Opposition David Thompson spoke with a single purpose, that is, to destroy the credibility of Clyde Mascoll. The attentive crowd, including yours truly, listened with interest to the different speakers who recollected many positions that Clyde Mascoll once held when he was a member of the DLP. Now, he has sought to distance himself in a Barbados Labour Party (BLP) government. The speakers spoke with great emotion at the betrayal that Clyde Mascoll has crossed the floor. Many of them recounted episodes how DLP members including David Thompson recruited Mascoll from his job at the Central Bank where he was very unhappy and they worked to elevate him up the rungs of the party.

The contribution of the night was delivered by David Thompson with the assistance of video aids. Thompson dissected many events which surrounds the creation of a company called Hardwood Factory Housing Incorporated. Thompson in a hard hitting delivery highlighted several wrong doings since the establishment of Hardwood, a company registered in November 2006.

Here are some of the observations made my Thompson to a large Deacons Road crowd:

• Thompson refuted claims that Anthony Murrell, CEO of Hardwood, has a proven track record of house building in Grenada. Thompson confirmed that he sent someone to Grenada to investigate Murrell’s involvement in house building, and specifically to investigate the claim that Murrell’s had participated in the building of 500 houses in a six month time frame. Thompson to a hushed crowd indicated that Murrell, from all reports, spent a total of 3 weeks in Grenada. The housing project he was known to have been associated terminated his services and he returned home.

• Details of financial dealings by Hardwood were highlighted. Thompson produced documents which show that vehicles and other equipment currently being used by Hardwood was bought by Murrell using lease financing arrangements from Consolidated Financial Company and Simpsons Motors and NOT Hardwood. (This information was interesting because it was previously reported in the media that in order to save Hardwood money, equipment owned by Murrell is being leased to Hardwood.) Thompson presented copies of documents which showed that Murrell was badly in arrears at Consolidated Finance and Simpsons Motors; the two companies which he entered into the lease financing arrangements to buy the equipment currently being leased to Hardwood. In a nutshell, Murrell has received money from Hardwood, a company 90% owned by Enterprise Growth Fund Limited, for the use of equipment but the same equipment has been acquired by Murrell through lease financing which is in arrears. Thompson asked the question why is the equipment not leased/purchased in the name of Hardwood?

• Thompson produced a letter signed by Sir Leroy Trotman which highlighted accusations of sexual abuse charges against Murrell. Thompson charged that many of the victims of the abuse are constituents of Mascoll and he had done nothing to respond to their concerns.

• The Operations Manager of Hardwood, Carol Phillips, wrote to Murrell (CEO) and Hoyos (Chairman) addressing concerns related to jobs which Hardwood was working on, but the accounting for revenues and expenses were not being accurately reflected in the books of the company.

• Thompson questioned the role of Hardwood in the building of a commercial property, said to be owned by someone very close to a prominent politician in Barbados, and where certain individuals working on the construction of the building are being paid by Hardwood while at the same time they appear to be working illegally in Barbados.

• Thompson also alleged that Hardwood invoiced Urban Development Commission (UDC) approximately BDS240,000 for foundation work done on seven low income houses in the New Orleans. The UDC through close scrutiny of the invoices was subsequently able to detect that the invoice should have been for approximately BDS129,000.

• Thompson questioned why only 15 houses have been constructed to date even though the company has drawn down on BDS2 million dollars in under a year. It appears that despite the rush to get to the market with the low income houses there has been a hitch and the houses have not been deployed due to the lack of land to place the houses.

• Thompson using a video presentation listed 19 bounce cheques which have been issued by Hardwood and which is an indication that despite a BDS2 million capital inflow to the company it continues to experience cash flow problems.

• Thompson questioned under what circumstances Hardwood was awarded several multi-million housing projects across Barbados despite the company experiencing cash flow problems. Thompson estimates one project has a value of BDS45 million dollars.

• Thompson questioned Mascoll’s role in the company Hardwood and why he has been the one to speak about the company and not Minister Reginald Farley who is responsible for housing in Barbados. He also touched on the silence of other Ministers concerning the Hardwood issue and Arthur’s recent instruction to Mascoll to respond to a letter written by him (Thompson) to Arthur. In Thompson’s view it is a clear sign that Mascoll is on his own on the issue of Hardwood. Thompson further charged that Mascoll is aware of all that is going on at the company and he should let the public know the extent of his involvement with the Hardwood company.

Thompson refuted Arthur’s claim that he (David Thompson) as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee had the means to investigate Hardwood. Thompson told the crowd that the PAC could investigate a government owned company ONLY if the audited financial statements of the company were laid before parliament. He ended his delivery by serving an ultimatum to Prime Minister Owen Arthur. He gave Arthur 30 days, starting last night, to start an investigation into Hardwood by a third party upon whom they will mutually agree. If Arthur fails to respond in the 30 day period Thompson will move a no-confidence motion in parliament against Mascoll. He threatened that the no-confidence motion would be preceded by unprecedented political activity led by the DLP never before seen in Barbados.

BU wrote yesterday that the political scene is starting to boil in Barbados. We look forward to hearing the Barbados Labour Party response to the accusations tabled by Thompson. Thompson ended last night by urging Barbadians to buckle their seat belts because they were in for an exciting ride!

Previous Story written by Barbados Free Press:

Strange Timing Of A Hardwood Homes Story In The Nation News – And A Question For Minister Clyde Mascoll

Nation Newspaper Report