Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 13, 2012 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
Change is not taking place at break-neck pace. And quite rightly so.
When change is too rapid, it can lead to a great deal of confusion and any progress made can be quickly reversed.
Change is taking place in Guyana and this change must be pleasing to at least one person. That person is the publisher of this newspaper who has seen all his hard work bear fruit under the new PPP administration. He has finally seen some action being taken by the government to bring to account some of the contractors who have not met their targets.
This country owes an enormous debt of gratitude to Glenn Lall for the service that he has provided to the people of Guyana with his investigative journalism into a number of contracts which were awarded under the Bharrat Jagdeo administration.
It was this newspaper and this newspaper alone which took up the mantle when everyone else was silent about the contract to build what has been called the Amalia Falls Road.
It was this newspaper that suggested that this particular contract had problems because of the road- building expertise of the company awarded the contract. It was this newspaper which went all the way to Miami and showed photographs that raised eyebrows.
And behind the efforts of this newspaper to expose what was happening and calling attention to grave concerns was someone who stood taller than the St. George’s Cathedral, Mr. Glen Lall.
The decision of the government to foreclose on the Amalia Falls road contract is a vindication of the concerns of this newspaper. But it also shows that quite unlike what happened under the previous administration, there is in place a new government that is far more responsive to public concerns.
There were many who may have been hoping that the decision made public yesterday would have taken place within the first week of the government. But that would be too ambitious and quick.
Governments do not work at this speed. Also there was a need to work on other political priorities with the opposition parties.
Eventually the government was going to get around to dealing with the issue of contracts where deadlines were not being met.
And it has taken the bold but necessary decision to terminate the contract for the road to Amalia Falls.
The government has acted and has indicated that it intended to take action to recover its losses. This is an excellent step and shows that what we have in place is a government that is serious about what it is doing but at the same time is not going to be rushed into rash decisions.
The decision will also be a wake-up call to some of the big wig contractors in Guyana who had friends in high places and who got off with delays in meeting their contractual obligations. The decision to terminate this major road contract to Amalia Falls is a wake-up call to all the “fat cats” in Guyana that they had better shape up or ship out.
There are of course other contracts which need to be looked at. In this regard, the government can look at what is happening in Jamaica. In that country, the Contractor- General is urging the new government to ensure that a contract signed with a Chinese firm meets the requirements of a competitive process.
Guyana’s procurement laws also insist that the award of public contracts must be done after a competitive bidding process. Obviously there are provisions that make accommodation for agreements between foreign governments. Such agreements in which the funds are being provided by foreign governments usually insist that the company chosen to undertake the work come from the country proving the funds. Thus the Indian government lent the money to build the national stadium and therefore it was not surprising that an Indian firm got the contract. In the case of the Skeldon Sugar Factory it was not surprising that a Chinese firm got the contract.
The nation was however never told that a contract was signed with a Chinese company to extend the runway at our national airport. It was the media that found this out from a report in a foreign newspaper.
Only then was it learnt that the money is going to be borrowed from a state-owned bank in China. And the excuse was that since it was a loan from a Chinese bank then a Chinese firm had to build this. But even if the bank insisted on this condition, why then was there no competitive bidding between Chinese companies? Why was the contract handed to one firm without inviting other firms to bid? Did other Chinese firms bid? If they did, why was this kept secret?
China has been very generous to Guyana and the government may not wish to ruffle the feathers of the Chinese government. But they may have no choice because the said firm seems to be making the news around the region and for all the wrong reasons, which makes it all the more curious why the previous government kept secret this deal all along.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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