Following a Caymanian Compass open record request it has been revealed the Cayman Islands Government spent $1.3 million to find out it owed another $3.5 million to its former high schools construction project subcontractor, Caribbean Mechanical (High Schools) Ltd. 2008!

The article at http://compasscayman.com/caycompass/2012/10/09/Cost-of-high-schools-settlement-revealed/ says “About $2 million of the $5.5 million total payment was given to Caribbean Mechanical back in 2011, prior to a final settlement amount being determined. So government’s final award determination due to Caribbean Mechanical was about $3.5 million.”

Of course all this expenditure will be blamed at the door of the previous administration, the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), who even after 3 ½ years later are the culprit of all our woes.

The ministry’s reply is, of course, what we expect – “in order to meet these challenges” and “in order to avoid “… and claims “and which is significantly lower than the original claim.”

Ben Nolan III of the Berkeley Research Group reviewed mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection work for both Clifton Hunter and the new John Gray High School sites. His firm was paid $915,668.75 for that review! That must have been one heck of a review!

And what did that Review accomplish?

According to Alan Roffey, Caribbean Mechanical’s chief executive, he thought court would have been “a less expensive option”.

Also employed on assessing the amount of monies owed to Caribbean Mechanical was David Benoit of Benoit Construction Management Services. So what exactly did he do? His services were provided within his company’s original contract agreement so why was Berkeley Research Group employed?

And ….. additional payments during the negotiation process with Caribbean Mechanical went to the BCQS quantity surveyors firm, totaling $147,488.

And (yes another “and”) attorneys from Conyers, Dill and Pearman were also brought in during negotiations with the Berkley Research Group, which was a “quasi-judicial” proceeding, according to government. Their “discounted” fees totalled $243,280.97!! Thank God it was “heavily” discounted!!

However, we haven’t reached the end yet.

Tom Jones International, the original contractor of the Clifton Hunter School, is claiming nearly $3M for monies it said government owes.

Perhaps we can get another review instigated that will reduce Tom Jones claim to $2.6M but they will get another S1M in fees so government can make the claim that they have saved the country money.

And don’t forget there’s BCQS and Conyers, Dill and Pearman, who may not “heavily” discount their fees this time.