Craig Cannonier, the Minister of Works and Engineering, has come under fire from Progressive Labour Party MPs for a $3 million sum given to the West End Development Corporation.

Mr Cannonier told the House of Assembly on Monday night that the Government had given the money to Wedco to renovate the old Moresby House building in Dockyard.

However, the minister’s comments, which came during a debate on budget supplementary estimates for 2016-17, prompted concern from Opposition leader David Burt and Opposition MPs David Lister, Wayne Furbert and Zane DeSilva.

In response to questions from the Opposition, Mr Cannonier confirmed that Wedco owned the property and that they were looking at the possibility of moving their offices into the old property when work was completed.

But Mr Furbert and Mr DeSilva queried why the Government was giving $3 million to a quango in times of austerity and whether the sum constituted a capital grant.

Mr Cannonier maintained that the project was a good investment, would provide jobs and that Wedco would pay back the money under the terms of a promissory note.

He told MPs that Moresby House was a historical site and the completion of the project would coincide with the beginning of the America’s Cup.