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Opposition Senator Dr Margaret Rose has rejected what she described as improper insinuations by Minister of Land and Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein concerning her business partner, procurement specialist Vaughn Rondon, and an HDC contract award. Rose said Hosein referred to both her and Rondon during a House of Representatives debate on October 19, 2026. She disputed any implication that Rondon was responsible for the procurement when the contract was awarded. According to the chronology Rose presented, Rondon was removed as the Housing Development Corporation's named procurement officer on May 11, 2023. She said he was placed on indefinite leave on August 22, 2023, while the contract award letter was issued two days later, on August 24. Rose said Rondon's employment was terminated at the end of November 2023 and that the circumstances surrounding his removal were the subject of pending litigation. She maintained that Rondon had no involvement in the procurement exercise at the time of the award and accused Hosein of using parliamentary privilege to make damaging insinuations about people who could not respond on the same terms. Rose called on public officials to exercise greater care over the accuracy of statements made in Parliament. The dates and account of Rondon's involvement were presented by Rose; the press-conference recording did not include a response from Hosein or HDC.
Opposition Senator Dr Margaret Rose has rejected what she described as improper insinuations by Minister of Land and Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein concerning her business partner, procurement specialist Vaughn Rondon, and an HDC contract award.
Rose said Hosein referred to both her and Rondon during a House of Representatives debate on October 19, 2026. She disputed any implication that Rondon was responsible for the procurement when the contract was awarded.
According to the chronology Rose presented, Rondon was removed as the Housing Development Corporation’s named procurement officer on May 11, 2023. She said he was placed on indefinite leave on August 22, 2023, while the contract award letter was issued two days later, on August 24.
Rose said Rondon’s employment was terminated at the end of November 2023 and that the circumstances surrounding his removal were the subject of pending litigation.
She maintained that Rondon had no involvement in the procurement exercise at the time of the award and accused Hosein of using parliamentary privilege to make damaging insinuations about people who could not respond on the same terms.
Rose called on public officials to exercise greater care over the accuracy of statements made in Parliament. The dates and account of Rondon’s involvement were presented by Rose; the press-conference recording did not include a response from Hosein or HDC.
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