The legal dispute between the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and Hitachi intensified after HART filed a counterclaim responding to Hitachi’s November 17 lawsuit, which sought millions in damages for alleged project delays caused by HART. HART’s response asserts that Hitachi’s delay claims are largely unfounded and accuses the company of breaching its contract and potentially violating Hawaii’s False Claim Act by submitting false statements and records, according to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation.
Hitachi’s initial lawsuit was dismissed due to procedural errors, including failing to present claims to Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation before filing, as noted in the November 14, 64-page Contracting Officer’s Decision by Lori Kahikina. The decision, made public, rejected most of Hitachi’s claims as unsubstantiated and noted allegations that Hitachi manipulated schedules to shift blame for delays onto HART…