Procurement Regulator Halts $3.4B HDC Housing Contracts — Minister RESPONDS

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The Office of Procurement Regulation (OPR) said it formally directed the Trinidad and Tobago Housing Development Corporation (HDC) on Tuesday (14th April, 2026) to hold on the award of TT $3.4 billion in housing contracts, pending a comprehensive review of the record of procurement proceedings. 

In a Media Release on Thursday (16th April, 2026), the OPR said, “This enquiry was initiated to ensure full compliance with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act, 2015, as amended ("the Act"), its associated Regulations, Handbooks and Guidelines, pursuant to the Office's powers under Sections 14(1)(a), (c) and (d) of the Act.”

The Office said it “will make no further comment on this matter to ensure the integrity of its ongoing enquiry process.”

However, in response to the hold, Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Phillip Edward Alexander, is strongly defending the HDC’s proposed TT $3.4 billion housing contract awards, insisting the process was conducted above board, fully compliant with procurement rules, and remains at a non-final stage.

Alexander said the exercise was carried out under established procurement frameworks with structured tendering mechanisms and oversight safeguards in place. He stressed that what has been issued is a “notice of decision to award” and not final contract execution, meaning the process is still subject to review within the mandatory standstill period, during which objections, reviews, or challenges can still be lodged before any binding agreements are signed.

The OPR directive has intensified scrutiny of the procurement exercise, which involves eleven (11) contractors selected under a large-scale public housing initiative.

According to the HDC notice, the proposed contractor allocations are as follows:

  1. Hakim Hosein Construction Company Limited — $410,336,504.73.
  2. Trinidad Pro Construction Limited — $289,576,381.77.
  3. Mootilal Ramhit & Sons Contracting Limited — $1,024,817,670.97.
  4. CE Management and Services Limited — $183,826,192.00.
  5. California Stucco Company Limited — $445,767,535.20.
  6. Keith’s Transport and General Contracting Service — $232,354,044.50.
  7. Rampersad General Contractors and Equipment Rental Company Limited — $111,942,855.00.
  8. Oilfield & Industrial Hardware Limited — $159,917,713.83.
  9. Norris Transport Enterprises Company Limited — $192,536,571.15.
  10. Bristol Construction Company Limited — $229,369,603.20.
  11. Adam’s Project Management & Construction Limited — $200,755,149.06.

The development comes amid mounting controversy between Alexander and former Minister, Camille Robinson-Regis, who has publicly questioned the integrity of the procurement process. Robinson-Regis has raised concerns over whether proper procedures were followed and whether the scale of the proposed awards meets required standards of transparency and accountability.

Her comments have sparked wider debate over the handling of large-scale public contracts, particularly given the multi-billion-dollar value attached to the housing programme.

More on this as it becomes available. 

[Source: Ian Alleyne]

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