This Parliament intended to muzzle the opposition?

Mar 03, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

I have seen publications on the awarding of contracts by the Central Housing and Planning Authority, via the Ministry of Housing and Water and have a few concerns:

1. Budget 2023 was passed on February 2, 2023, less than four weeks and already the Ministry has signed contracts, totaling $54B.  My concern is that the analysis, scrutiny and awarding of these projects were quickly done. Something seems off here. I guess the competent authority, being the Ministry of Housing and Water can provide explanations to taxpayers.
2. Many of the contracts signed favour one ethnic grouping. In some cases, one contractor received several contracts. Editor, how can this be fair? The breakdown of these awards confirms the analysis and findings by Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Nigel Hughes and Financial Accountant, Mr. Nigel Hinds et al.
3. I have noticed several new contractors in the list published. Like many Guyanese, I would like the Ministry of Housing to make public: names of the principals for these new companies, when were they registered, list all projects done by these companies (this should include sums, period and for which executing agency), for the last five years.
4. What procurement system was used in selecting these contractors? I am requesting that the Ministry make public the process they followed, and criteria used to award these contracts.

Editor, as a Member of Parliament, I am accountable to my constituents and should be able to answer queries of this nature. The PPPC’s lack of accountability of our resources must come to an end and they must be reminded that the funds released by the Ministry of Finance are not from the party’s slush fund.

Unfortunately, Parliamentary sittings are farcical, they do not allow for answers to queries of this nature. Questions and motions submitted by Opposition Members of Parliament, are amended, or disallowed with little or no prior consultation by the PPPC Speaker, Mr. Manzoor Nadir, MP.  For example, recently, my colleague, Hon. Catherine Hughes, MP submitted questions on the very controversial “gas-to-energy project.” Speaker Nadir disallowed the questions, stating that “Mr. Winston Brassington, who heads a department overseeing this project, has provided information at the just concluded, oil and gas conference.” Editor, I have found the actions and decisions by Speaker Nadir to be partial and biased. Questions raised pertaining to releases made against budgeted items are also usually disallowed by the Speaker. Is this Parliament intended to muzzle the opposition? The modus operandi reeks of undemocratic parliamentary conduct.

Several months ago, I publicly requested Hon. Collin Croal to make public a chronological list of lands allocated since August 2, 2020 to support his outrageous propaganda about land allocations. To date this information has not been made available. Editor, I hope that in the name of transparency, accountability and good governance Mr. Croal will acquiesce to my request. I also take note of the PPPC’s attempt to mislead the public, again, with their misinformation about the reasons behind EITI’s temporary suspension.

Sincerely,

Annette Ferguson 

Member of Parliament

• Annette Ferguson, Central Housing and Planning Authority, Ministry of Housing and water, Parliament, taxpayers