Former ministers, finance official appear before CCCL inquiry |03 October 2026

The Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Construction Company Limited (CCCL) incident heard testimony from three witnesses during yesterday's sitting, including two former ministers and the principal secretary for finance. Their evidence covered security concerns, post-disaster recovery efforts and the management of relief funds following the December 7, 2023 explosion.

 Testimony of former Minister Devika Vidot

The first witness was former Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship & Industry, Devika Vidot, who served in the role from November 2020 to October 2025.

Mrs Vidot said security at the Providence Industrial Estate was a recurring topic during meetings under her mandate, with immediate action taken whenever concerns arose, particularly following landfill fires.

Asked whether she was aware of risks associated with the explosives magazine at the nearby CCCL quarry, Mrs Vidot said it was not an issue that had caught her attention at the time. Instead, her focus was on risks within the industrial zone itself, particularly those linked to the landfill, where the likelihood of fire was high.

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