Former opposition leader, Michael Baptiste is calling on the Keith Mitchell government in St. George’s to clear the air on millions of dollars that were set aside for remedial work to be conducted on the multi-million dollar stadium that collapsed at Queen’s Park during the passage of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.

According to Baptiste, the government had announced that the promoters of the project, Imbert Construction Services (ICS) of Trinidad and Tobago had agreed to carry out the work on the stadium that started to show signs of massive cracks.

He said the work had apparently started but was not completed since Ivan came and destroyed the facility. “I would want to know what has become of the rest of the millions that were set aside for that project”, said Baptiste in an exclusive interview with GRENADA TODAY.

Baptiste pointed out that there is now no need to carry out the remedial work since the original stadium was destroyed and Mainland China is rebuilding the project for the island.

“We need to know something about that money. Where is it? Who has it? We cannot allow the government to remain silent on that money”, he remarked.

The Mitchell government had fully paid for the 159 million E.C dollar stadium through a $US100 million loan that it had borrowed from an international institution. When Ivan slammed into the sporting facility, it was not insured at the time and government was unable to make a claim for compensation for the damages done.

Beijing has agreed to rebuild the stadium as part of a deal worked out with the Mitchell government for severing ties with the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan.

The Chinese have given assurances that the facility would be rebuilt in time to enable the island to host its schedule of matches for the 2007 World Cup cricket in the Caribbean. The former opposition leader who is associated with the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) stated that Prime Minister Mitchell needs to address the issue of the remaining funds set aside for the old stadium in light of plans by government to slap a 5% Reconstruction levy or tax on workers salary to help rebuild the island after Ivan.

He suggested that if the government could lay its hands on this money then it should give some consideration on the 5% tax which is being opposed by most of the trade unions on the island. Seven of the eight trade unions on the island, the exception being the pro-government Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union (SWWU) have voiced serious reservations about the tax.

Baptiste chastised the Mitchell government for showing scant courtesy on accounting to taxpayers over the use of funds from the treasury over the past decade in office. He made mention of the wanton waste of government funds through millions of guarantees to “fly-by-night” investors involved in the Mt. Hartman hotel project and the hotel and golf course at Levara, and the failed Call Center project at the Seamoon Industrial Park in St. Andrew’s.

Opponents of the Mitchell government have often accused the administration of demonstrating a lack of financial transparency and having a dismal track record in good governance.