HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation filed a counterclaim against Hitachi, the contractor that operates Honolulu’s Skyline rail system.
HART is seeking millions of dollars in damages in response to the contractor’s second lawsuit against HART filed on Nov. 17.
Hitachi claimed in both lawsuits that it is owed $324 million for delays it blames on HART’s “gross mismanagement.”
HART’s counterclaim alleges Hitachi manipulated its own schedules and submitted false and misleading information to the rail authority.
Under Hawaii’s False Claims Act, HART says it is entitled to triple damages and civil penalties.
A court dismissed Hitachi’s first lawsuit for failure to submit its claims to HART before initiating litigation.
Following that dismissal, on Nov. 14, HART’s contracting officer, Lori Kahikina, issued a 64-page decision addressing each of Hitachi’s claims.
Kahikina, as contracting officer, rejected the vast majority of Hitachi’s claims, saying they were unsubstantiated.
She also determined that Hitachi had manipulated its schedules to mask its own delays and blame HART.
According to HART’s counterclaim, Hitachi violated Hawaii’s False Claims Act by knowingly making false statements in support of its lawsuit.
HART believes it is entitled to recover more than $20 million in liquidated damages for project delays caused by Hitachi.
View HART’s full counterclaim:
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation filed a counterclaim against Hitachi, the contractor that operates Honolulu’s Skyline rail system. HART is seeking millio...