MNAs get juicy contracts as environmental consultants
A group of SPPF MNAs have found their own way of making money on the luxury hotel projects by cornering the market on environmental assessment studies. Clifford André, Marc Naiken, Jennifer Vel and Joseph François are in a company called VASCO which is getting consulting contracts for projects such as the proposed Savoy Hotel at Beau Vallon and the re-development of the Plantation Club. They were all present at the public meeting for the Plantation project on Saturday at Baie Lazare. At the same time, there is some doubt that these people do any of the work at all or simply hire another person to knock up the presentation while they collect the fees.
Another person, who said he had done the required environmental impact assessment as a sub-contractor to VASCO, was there to present it at Baie Lazare. The MNAs showed up too, and followed the presentation from one corner of the room.
There are two things wrong with all this. First, these MNAs are using their connections to get the juicy contracts. They are simply profiting from their positions. They should be leaving the work to others.
Second, these MNAs are elected to represent the public. In accepting contracts like these, they obviously tie themselves in to the interests of the developers and will fail to take
up the wider concerns of the people they represent.
Source: REGAR