House audit committee to step into Larnaca port spat

The House audit committee will discuss the issues between the government and Kition Ocean Holdings, who are managing the revamp of the Larnaca port and marina, which has stalled over a contractual spat.

The issue of the provisions of the contract between the state and the company was raised at Thursday’s session of the committee, and it was decided that it would be discussed in two to three weeks.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, the head of the committee Diko MP Zacharias Koulias said a letter would be sent to Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades requesting the submission of the contract between the state and the Kition consortium to the committee for examination.

Koulias also asked auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides, who was present at the meeting, to discuss the report of the auditor-general’s taxation department, to prepare and submit the findings to the committee.

Opposition Akel MP Costas Costa also chimed in to point out that the audit committee needs to merely look into contractual matters.

He added that the transport committee at another session would be discussing the progress of the works.

The issue broke last week, when concerns were raised about the stalled construction, which were due to start last month or early this month.

Following these developments and a back and forth between the government and the company Kition Ocean Holdings on contractual matters, President Nikos Christodoulides had to step in to request to meet with the company.

“I have spoken to the minister of transport, I have asked to arrange a meeting with the company, I am ready to discuss, to come up with solutions, always within the agreed framework,” he said on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kition Ocean Holdings, which is overseeing the Larnaca port and marina revamp, said they filed a case against the government for causing delays and breaching the contract.

According to CEO Oliver Corlette, the government has been unwilling to meet the company to discuss a difference in a financial guarantee.