State auditors probe GECOM over $100M purchase of radio equipment

Sep 04, 2016 News

State auditors have launched a major probe in a $100M purchase of radio equipment by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) shortly before the May 11 polls last year.

Some of the radios that GECOM ordered shortly before the May 2015 elections and which are the subject of an audit probe.

The communication equipment was from all indications never used by GECOM, with some of the high frequency sets not functioning. Many of the 50 radios are still in boxes, raising questions as to the reasons used for the purchase.
GECOM reportedly wanted the radios to make contact with its workers in outlying areas on Elections Day.
Auditors would also be investigating whether GECOM paid too much, as well as try to determine whether the proper procurement procedures were followed.
On Friday, Auditor General Deodat Sharma confirmed that indeed a team of auditors from his office have been probing the purchases of communication equipment.
The auditors descended on GECOM’s offices over a week ago with checks currently ongoing at the entity’s bond at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara.
The probe was launched after the Audit Office reportedly noticed a number of issues with the transactions. The Auditor General declined to go into details.
The multimillion-dollar purchase would lift the lid on the procurement practices of GECOM, the body that runs General and Regional Elections in the country.
Recently, legislation was amended to allow GECOM to manage its own budget, which amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
According to Government sources familiar with the radio purchases transaction, a few weeks before the May 11th elections last year, GECOM signaled its intentions of using selective tendering for 50 Barrett High Frequency (HF) radios.
There are different models of Barrett radios. The newer ones have the capability of sending faxes, emails and even make voice calls. GECOM’s wording of the tender apparently left it open to what models of the Barrett radios the entity wanted.
GECOM received quotes from a number of companies, including Mobile Authority.
Mobile Authority was chosen for the supply of what was supposed to be 50 Barrett HF radios. The company was paid $99.5M.
However, checks by the auditors last week found a number of problems. Government officials indicated that based on information, GECOM collected 30 ICOM (IC-718) radios and 20 of what were described as Barrett 2040 radios.
Government officials said what is interesting is why GECOM decided to include another brand in the order –the 30 units of ICOM (IC-718) radios without the suppliers being notified.

2 thoughts on “State auditors probe GECOM over $100M purchase of radio equipment”

casada11 September 4, 2016 at 11:40 am

Very Alarming, is GECOM under corruption probe? there are many question to be answered here, and lets hope all the right questions will be asked, the PPP, shortly after the 2015 questionable election results issued a call for the removal of the election commission chairman, but that call was rebuffed by the chairman him self in a manner as though the professed nobility of that commission could only be challenge by God himself, now it is time to wait and see if that is still the case. I am quite sure if a legitimate probe is truly pursued, he will be gone into silence before the whole can of beans is being spilled.
Art Vandalay September 4, 2016 at 9:10 pm

I am not from Guyana but am very familiar with the country and its people and I study the region. The people are warm, they are hospitable and just like any other society they also have some of the most cunning people. What I noticed is that the PPP government after Dr. Jagan did not do anything for anyone, Black, Indian, Mix, Amerindian etc. I do not care about political parties, I am an independent. I care about the country I live in and its people and so it is with this unbiased view that I believe I can make my statements. The group of persons from the recent PPP party have robbed the country for their own gains. They fly to Florida and Canada and stay in their big homes, and to NYC and pontificate about nothing. It just seemed to me that only a small group of persons won contracts during the PPP rule, when questioned they would say oh! its open to everyone, “its on the Internet anyone can bid”. Now, we all know that the deals were already sealed and decided. So fast forward to the new Gov’t it is admirable that they are trying to bring order and auditing etc. But it is clear that the USA had a hand in placing the new Gov’t in power. It seems to have gone back to the days of Forbes Burnham. The police force is and has always been distrustful. There seems to be no hope for order and again both sides are dividing the country. I refer to Trinidad & Tobago a country where people of all races get along very well. It was the Indian Gov’t that were dividing the country. And so I believe that the people of Guyana should not depend on any political party or politician to “unite the country” work among yourselves and live as you normally do with your neighbors, you will be more successful than what any politician can do for you, your country, your village. And finally, I hope that another youngster male of female can follow the foot steps of Dr. Rodney and challenge the establishment. Someone form either party, times have changed and if any country is able to advance you need to get rid of the “old heads” challenge them with respect. They might be your opposition but they are not your enemy, neither side is always right, but some of the ideas from both sides can be positive and the results can be a diverse as the great people of Guyana.