With the Global Transportation Hub (GTH)’s annual report showing debt continuing to pile on and still no land sales being reported, the NDP is committing to a public inquiry into the land scandal at the heart of the project, and is calling for the Standing Committee on the Economy to examine the last two annual reports – something the government once did but is now refusing to do.
“What we see in the GTH annual report is a government that won’t come clean about the mess they made, and that has left Saskatchewan people on the hook for the mounting debt,” said NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon. “Saskatchewan deserves a government that will put people first by getting to the bottom of this scandal and this project that’s gone off the rails, and importantly, to put forward a plan that can get as much value for the public as possible from a project that’s now $46 million in debt because of the Sask. Party’s choices.”
According to its annual report, the GTH has paid a private company $1.4 million to manage a budgeted $3.8 million in land sales. However, no land sales were reported. Net debt at the GTH increased by $1.3 million last year, and now sits at $46 million. It also reported a $2.2 million deficit, three times more than the budgeted $738,000.
“These numbers should shock anyone concerned about the province’s balance sheet, which is why we’re calling for the Standing Committee on the Economy to convene and dive deeper,” said NDP GTH Critic Cathy Sproule. “At one point there was a Sask. Party cabinet minister committed to a judicial inquiry into the GTH, and a government that convened the committee to examine the GTH’s finances. This government’s failure to clear the cloud of corruption over this project leaves it continuing to struggle and falling deeper into debt.”
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