A court order regarding full payment for building contractor Al Barrack is still being negotiated with the state-run National Housing Corporation (NHC), while the contractor remains angry at getting only $5 million of the more than $70 million he is owed.
Al Barrack
Early last Monday morning, Barrack chained and padlocked the entrances to the Warrens Office Complex, demanding that he be paid for his part in constructing the building.
He reopened the doors a few hours later after a promise from Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler and Minister of Housing and Lands Denis Kellman, that he would get part payment by the end of the day.
However, when contacted by Barbados TODAY this afternoon, Barrack, who said he was expecting $7 million was not a happy man.
“Those guys are not nice people. I am not going to say anything now [because] my lawyer is dealing with the matter at this time. I will speak to the Press when something develops,” he said.
The NHC’s lawyer, Queen’s Counsel Maurice King, said the parties were seeking to get the court order that could bring an end to the dispute once and for all.
“All the terms of the [proposed] order are not yet settled. There are some outstanding matters which I know, but won’t say, that need to be agreed on,” he disclosed.
In 2009, the High Court had ordered Government to pay Barrack what was then about $34 million. However, that has since more than doubled with interest.
King said Barrack got $5 million and “the rest will be paid later.”
However, he could not say exactly when the remainder of the money would be disbursed.
Reacting to Barrack’s lockdown of the complex, King said while the court had given the contractor possession of the building which houses some 15 government departments, there was a proviso that prohibited him from taking any action against the tenants, including eviction.
However, King said, while Barrack’s action was in contempt of court, the NHC declined to pursue any legal action against him.
(EJ/NC)