Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 14, 2019 News
A Berbice-based contractor is making some shocking accusations, pointing fingers at engineers and alleging fixing of bid documents.
Peter Lewis, Managing Partner of Associated Construction Services, is calling on President David Granger to intervene and to launch an inquiry.
There are several layers to the fraud that is occurring with the public bidding.
He explained that from his investigations, engineers at ministries would collaborate with particular contractors in a kickback scheme.
For example, for a road in the hinterlands, the amount of material, especially sand, is inflated.
Contractors not in the know would submit estimates based on the work to be done.
What would happen, Lewis explained, is that the contractor who bid nearest to the engineer’s inflated figures would get the job.
The rest are disqualified.
Then there is an after bidding scam where “henchmen” of the ministries and agencies would contact contractors for negotiations.
“I am not getting jobs because I am not willing to pay,” Lewis said last week.
Contractors have been hesitant to come forward fearing repercussions as there are a variety of reasons that can be used by ministries and agencies to turn a bid.
Lewis has been pounding the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI), on his Facebook page, questioning them.
He said that two years ago, he installed the largest asphalt plant of the country, in Linden.
More than 90 percent of the staffers are from there.
But there were never any jobs for the company.
Last August, a man (name given), who said he represents a particular ministry, approached Lewis and asked for 10 percent of a particular contract to ensure it is awarded to the contractor’s company.
“This happened last year. This corruption is affecting me and because of my stance, I am not getting any work. Imagine I have five motor graders and can’t get any work.
“We have an asphalt plant in Linden and one Bartica. Guess what? In recent years, we only got $10M in work. I can tell you that two regions- Region Seven and Region Ten- are one where corruption is not so much. I am one of the most equipped contractors and we are being targeted because we are not paying.”
According to Lewis, if the powers that be could check with is happening on the hinterland roads, it would tell a shocking story of what really is going on.
“I am challenging any engineer to justify, for example, the quantity on the hinterland roads. It is most times too low. It is difficult to make checks in the hinterlands. When the rains come, it is washed away. They blame it on the rains.”
Lewis claimed that one of the most common ways to fix contracts is to inflate the amount of materials…especially sand.
“I even had people coming to me and ask me to do work on projects that were not even tendered yet. That is how bad the situation is. People know in advance they getting work.”
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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