THE $500M SUPENAAM STELLING: CHARACTERISTIC OF PPP INCOMPETENCE & CORRUPTION SINCE 1957

May 23, 2010 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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RIP VAN WINKLE

The fiasco surrounding the $500M Supenaam Stelling, which has now been condemned as “inoperable” and unsafe for use, is the latest example of the PPP/C regime’s incompetence, corruption and wastage of Guyana’s financial resources throughout the periods of its Governance since 1957.

The inconsistent explanations from the various agencies of the Government, and, the ‘Rip van-winkle like’ call by President Jagdeo for the Prime Minister “to undertake a formal review of this project, particularly in the specific areas of dispute”, may have been an amusing episode if the resources involved were not the property of the tax payers of Guyana.

THE DEL CONTE ROAD AND OTHERS

The actions of the President and his men create the impression that such shoddy work is an unusual occurrence when, in fact, such shoddy performance, accompanied by corruption and unaccountability have been characteristic of the PPP periods in governance since 1957.

Older Guyanese would remember the infamous, Del Conte road on the East Bank of Essequibo touted by Premier Cheddi Jagan. Millions were spent, but nothing was there to show.

The squander mania and mis-management of the British Guiana Rice Marketing Board is another example. Millions were siphoned off to party supporters until a mysterious fire, similar to the ones that Guyanese have now become accustomed, destroyed the records.

Younger Guyanese would be more familiar with the fiasco of the disappearing or floating wharf at Essequibo. Millions were again spent on construction of a wharf, which disappeared into the Pomeroon River shortly after completion.

The nation was advised that the contractor responsible would have been penalised, but within months, the very contractor delivered further sub-standard works on contracts awarded to him at Wakenaam, Essequibo Islands.

The collapse of a koker door at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara one week ago resulted in another blame game, but the reality is that these are everyday occurrences in Guyana. The sub-standard work being delivered on most Government contracts have been the subject of regular media reports.

The Sunday issue of this newspaper would be inadequate to list the numerous examples of such fiascos under the PPP since 1957.

Regrettably, the government appears satisfied to issue regular statements of the huge amount of money awarded on contracts rather than whether the people of Guyana have had value for the money spent.

WHO “MESSED UP”? THE CONTACTOR?

The various news reports on the Supenaam Stelling provide useful information for analysis.

The contractor claims that the stelling was built according to the design and in full compliance with all technical specifications.

He claimed that the sunken pontoon was not part of the design and thus was not built or placed by his team, hence he was not the one who “messed -up”.

The contractor expressed the view that modification of the structure should not have proceeded without consultation with the design and construction firms.

He concluded that the project was satisfactorily completed and a Completion Certificate, issued on 19 January, 2010 by the employer certifying that all defects, if any, were made good to the satisfaction of the consultants.

The structure, he claimed, was successfully tested “in the presence of two Ministers of the government and other stakeholders”.

OR, THE DEMOLITION MINISTER?

Significantly, the Minister, who has earned national recognition for his competence at destruction, took over modification of the stelling and, in his usual style, did an excellent job at that.

The said Minister of Demolition, who remained silent for days after the initial exposure, eventually found his voice, accused the contractor of “oligarchic aspirations” and stated that their public statements were simply “eye pass” of him and rude.

He then claimed that earlier defects as identified by his Ministry had not been addressed by the contractor. Yet, in the same statement, he informs the nation that his Ministry was not responsible for supervision.

He went on to say, however, that guided by “economic reasons” his Ministry proceeded with the installation of the 1.7 ton steel drawbridge to guarantee the safe offloading and reloading of vehicles, particularly trucks.

The question Guyanese want answered is how was a completion certificate issued?

Later, Guyanese were surprised to learn that the Ministry of Local Government had supervised the work and issued the completion certificate.

To whom then did the Minister, whose official responsibility is to ensure quality of works, channel his observations about the defects?

Did the Minister abandon his assigned responsibility for Works?

PPP ECONOMICS

Minister Robeson Benn claims that he was guided by economic considerations. Where is the economics? According to him, the Ministry was losing millions in fuel costs every month in the Essequibo area and that the new Supenaam facility was estimated to save around $1M a day once it was operational.

The nation was advised that the original contract price was $431M. Benn then spent an additional $17.2M for modification works.

Four days after the stelling was opened for use, the Ministry was forced to close it down.

The end beam of the loading ramp buckled when vehicles were being loaded onto a vessel. In addition to the millions of taxpayers money already spent on this project, Guyanese will continue to pay an additional $1M daily, which should have been saved.

Certainly, this PPP economics has been part of their culture since 1957.

It is time that the people of Guyana demand accountability.

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