Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
BK gets $900M in steel for $180M court judgment
BK’s boss, Brian Tiwarie
Former AG, Anil Nandlall
The questionable acquisition by BK International of eight containers of steel, worth hundreds of millions of dollars from Government, is refusing to go away.
Former President Donald Ramotar and his now ex-Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, yesterday continued to insist that all was not right with a transaction last year that saw the steel given to the contractor mere weeks after the May 11, 2015 General Elections.
One of the biggest issues at hand is the value of the steel.
According to Ramotar, a valuation of the contents of the containers early last year had placed the value around $900M.
BK claimed that it received the eight containers of steel based on a court judgment which was executed in July last year.
That judgment came after BK sued Indian contractor, Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL), for work on the troubled Specialty Hospital at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara. BK was claiming $180M in a lawsuit filed in mid-2014.
How the company received the $900M worth in steel when its judgment was for $180M is what is raising questions.
BK is claiming it had a judgment. Why all eight containers were handed over is what remains baffling and the government remaining quiet on the issue.
Former president, Donald Ramotar
According to Nandlall yesterday, in late 2014, Government sacked Surendra from the hospital project after that company failed to meet deadlines, among other things.
A lawsuit was filed by Government claiming around $900M.
Earlier the same year, BK sued Surendra for outstanding monies for work done. The claims were for $180M plus interests and costs.
In early 2015, months before the May elections, eight containers of steel for Surendra arrived in Guyana.
The Ramotar government immediately took possession of the steel, paying the Customs charges. It was placed in the custody of the Ministry of Health.
Both the former President and Nandlall made it clear it was the intention to levy on containers.
However, in July last year, BK managed to acquire court orders to execute judgment on the containers.
With a Court Marshal, the steel was handed over to BK.
Ramotar and BK’s boss, Brian Tiwarie, had exchanged a number of scathing public letters on the issue.
The case would be a hard one to swallow for citizens who have seen their taxpayers lose to poorly supervised projects without much action taken to recover the precious tax dollars spent.
Surendra had hurriedly left the jurisdiction last year with not much assets left behind for Government to seize.
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If the facts stated can be verified, then Mr Harmon should offer his resignation. I learned years ago to always be cautious when dealing with “gift bearing” businessmen.
The Coalition should release to the Nation whether they had an impartial assessor had an imput into the valuations of the contents of the containers.
BK took advantage of their naivety. ………that decision should be urgently reviewed by a Parliamentary sub-committee and SARU.
Ha Ha Ha. Judgement is for $$$ value only not contents. AG?? Nelson’s eye??