By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) official testified yesterday that former WSC executive chairman Adrian Gibson was not listed as the owner of any of three landscaping companies that raised her suspicion during an audit conducted under the Minnis administration.

Dian Saunders-Adderley, WSC’s assistant general manager, made the comments during cross-examination by defence attorney Damian Gomez KC.

Mrs Saunders-Adderley said she investigated Oak Bay Limited, Elite Maintenance, and Adam’s Landscaping — three companies awarded landscaping contracts by WSC. However, she said that she did not interrogate the vendors or make any formal accusations.

When Mr Gomez described it as “irrational” that she singled out these three vendors from others, Mrs Saunders-Adderley explained that the companies drew her suspicion because they were all paid under the same project number. She said the payments stood out, prompting her to examine the supporting documents.

She acknowledged that the payments made allowed the companies to complete the contracted maintenance work. She also agreed that multiple vendors working on the same project at different stages is not unusual, and that these companies handle a range of responsibilities including maintenance, construction, landscaping, and restoration.

Upon reviewing documents, Mrs Saunders-Adderley confirmed that neither Mr Gibson nor Elwood Donaldson, his co-accused, were named as owners or shareholders of the three companies. She added that the WSC maintains contact information for all registered vendors.

After reading a report submitted by Mr Gomez, Mrs Saunders-Adderley said it indicated Elite Maintenance was paid $200,000 for two tank projects on Blue Hill Road but maintained she could not independently verify this information.

She firmly disagreed with Mr Gomez’s suggestion that parts of her report were inaccurate.

Gibson, former executive chairman of WSC, has been on trial since November 2023 alongside Mr Donaldson Jr, former general manager, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick. The charges relate to contracts awarded during Gibson’s tenure.

The defence team includes Mr Gomez, Murrio Ducille KC, Geoffrey Farquharson, Raphael Moxey, Ian Cargill, Ryan Eve, and Bryan Bastian.

Meanwhile, representing the Crown are Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean, and Rashied Edgecombe.