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Why Doesn't The Government Pull The Plug On "Glendale Hills"?

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  • Why Doesn't The Government Pull The Plug On "Glendale Hills"?

    WHY DOESN'T THE GOVERNMENT PULL THE PLUG ON "GLENDALE HILLS"?
    Edik Baghdasaryan

    http://hetq.am/en/society/glendel-hi lz-8/
    2010/02/25 | 12:35

    Feature Stories society

    Inferior construction in Gyumri leads to new contract in Spitak

    Two months ago, it became apparent that the buildings constructed
    by Glendale Hills with government money intended to house homeless
    families in Gyumri, were sub-standard.

    The buildings were so inferior in terms of quality that the government,
    at the directive of the president himself, forced the company to
    basically start from scratch. For example, Glendale Hills had to
    strip about 30,000 square meters of plastered walls and refinish them.

    But it seems that Glendale Hills hasn't learnt from its mistakes. A
    scandal is about to break in Spitak, where the company has a contract
    to hand over 300 apartments to the government.

    It turns out that the ceilings on the top floors have been fashioned
    out of "penoplast" (a foam polystyrene construct). This has amazed
    many in the industry who are surprised that the builders were even
    able to install roofs on the top floors.

    Glendale Hills and the names of its shareholders have been popping
    up in various government decisions ever since 2004.

    One of the company's owners is Vahe Yaghoubian, a diaspora Armenian
    entrepreneur. Yaghoubian, an attorney by profession, has been a
    government insider for the past twelve years.

    But this isn't sufficient for the company to get away with such
    construction methods and to pocket super profits.

    Company construction sites are off limits not only to inquisitive
    reporters but also to officials from the Ministry of Urban
    Development. Thus, one can assume that the company owners enjoy a
    privileged position in the ruling government's pyramid of power.

    Glendale Hills is a closed joint stock company and the names of
    all its shareholders aren't known. In addition to Vahe Yaghoubian,
    another name bandied about is RoA MP Davit Harutyunyan . There's also
    talk of an unnamed Arab from Lebanon as stockholder.

    The owners of Glendale Hills are adept at pulling strings because
    they've once again been able to get their hands on state funds for
    Gyumri construction, rather than being sued for misusing state funds.

    There's a certain top government official that's been to Spitak and
    seen the roofs of the new buildings. This official has said that even
    Armenia's worst enemy wouldn't have built something similar.

    The question on everyone's mind is why the government is allowing
    Glendale Hills to continue operating at taxpayer expense, given its
    lousy track record?

    Perhaps Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has a rational explanation

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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