$58M Corruption Scandal Exposed?
At a high-energy political meeting in Mason Hall, Secretary of Infrastructure Trevor James leveled explosive accusations regarding infrastructure spending under the previous administration, dropping a « bombshell » just days ahead of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election. The Secretary presented documents alleging that on a single day—December 18, 2020—the former regime awarded 25 separate contracts totaling over $58 million to a single entity, Warner’s Construction.
According to the disclosures made at the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) event, these contracts were signed mere weeks before the January 2021 election. James focused his address on allegations that former Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis and former Secretary Kwesi Des Vignes facilitated this massive outlay. He claimed that while the projects were paid for in full, 50% of the works remained incomplete and 25% never even commenced.
Key Project Discrepancies Highlighted:
Sesame Street Extension (Bethel): A contract valued at $4,995,562.50, which James claims was signed off despite little evidence of work.
Jaegars Hall: A $3,879,450.00 project allegedly fully paid but undelivered.
Robert Street (Roxborough): A $2,151,900.00 contract for road preparation and paving.
The Secretary described the situation as « havoc » created by a « cartel of contractors, » asserting that completion certificates were fraudulently signed by division engineers. « They left the THA with a debt of almost one billion dollars, » James stated, urging voters in the Mason Hall/Moriah and Black Rock districts to reject the opposition at the polls on January 12, 2026.
Framing the upcoming election as a critical choice between accountability and a return to « financial mismanagement, » the TPP official warned that the island « cannot forget » the actions of the past. He called on the electorate to support the current administration’s infrastructure development plan rather than those responsible for the controversial « December 18 » payouts.
#tobagoupdates #THA2026 #TrevorJames #InfrastructureScandal #TobagoPolitics #MasonHall #Transparency
