Shadow Attorney General Trevor Moniz is calling for Police to investigate the $10 million TCD overrun uncovered by the Auditor General.

The deputy Opposition leader claimed last night that Heather Jacobs Matthews did not probe far enough into what the money was spent on and should have recommended a criminal inquiry in her special report released on Thursday.

"You will never find criminality unless you look for it," Mr. Moniz told The Royal Gazette. "She hasn't gone deep enough. What we need is a forensic audit, which I called for a year ago.

"There is a clear indication of the possibility of fraud and corruption and it needs to be investigated."

Ms Matthews launched her inquiry into the construction of the new Transport Control Department building and three emissions testing centres earlier this year.

She discovered that responsibility for the project was given to the Ministry of Transport, rather than Works and Engineering, as it should have been, and that there was ministerial interference from the outset.

The cost of the development eventually tripled from $5.3 million to $15.2 million after control was "relinquished" to two linked private companies — and Ms Matthews found there was inadequate documentation to explain the increases.

She said the company which landed the consulting contract to manage the building project — Bermuda Emissions Control Ltd. (BECL) — subcontracted work to Correia Construction Company Ltd. (CCCL), without senior civil servants ensuring it was put out to tender.

Premier and Transport Minister Ewart Brown's friend Dennis Correia owns a third of both firms, while Dr. Brown's cousin Donal Smith owns 40 percent of BECL.

Dr. Brown's press secretary Jamahl Simmons said yesterday that the Premier had not read the special report and had no comment.

Mr. Simmons refused to let The Royal Gazette ask the Premier a single question about it at a presentation at his office by Bermuda Road Safety Council (BRSC).

"Media were invited by BRSC without my or the Premier's knowledge," said the spokesman. "We will issue a statement in due course on the matter in question."

Mr. Moniz said the special report only confirmed what was already suspected. "None of this is new," said the UBP MP. "But, from my point of view, the Auditor General needs to tell us where do we go from here about the $10 million."

His party colleague, Shadow Works and Engineering Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, said: "The damning report issued by the Auditor General should at least make Bermudians wake up and pay attention.

"The massive debt that we are in, much of which has manifested itself over the past seven years, is in part a direct result of the failure of the Government to keep close tabs on expenditure and to ensure that the taxpayer gets fair value for money spent."

Bermuda Democratic Alliance's transport spokesman Shawn Crockwell said the $10 million overrun should be placed in context with other huge overspends on capital projects, including $25 million on the Dockyard pier, another contract given to Mr. Correia.

"It seems clear that undue pressure was put on Works and Engineering to allow the Ministry of Transport to take control and superintend over this project. One has to ask the question: why?

"This particular Minister of Transport had endured claims of cronyism and nepotism and yet again it appears that this is what occurred."

Asked to comment on the Auditor General's special report, Mr. Smith said in an e-mail yesterday: "Currently I am off Island and I am not aware of what you are speaking of." Mr. Correia refused to comment.

Ms Matthews did not respond to a request for comment by press time and nor did Bermuda Police Service.

• The Auditor General's full report is at www.oagbermuda.gov.bm. Share your views on it by e-mailing news@royalgazette.bm.