Why retain contractors who have not performed?

May 22, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
The award of Kato school repairs to Vikab and Kares Engineering is incorrect and shameful. Former President Jagdeo and the present Coalition team (previously PNCites/Jagdeoites) at the Ministry of Finance (MOF), are you not going to comment on this award?
It is during your stewardship, Vikab displaced Cemco Engineering, who was the favourite of PNC prior to 1992, so much so, that the two Managers became enemies. Do not forget, that I was there and I took Jagdeo/ the present MOF team/Vikab consultant /others on the MOF, tender Board modus operandi to President Jagan for not acting on “value for money”.
Dr. Jagdeo how do you feel when you see the repeat of your game, by your former players and you are not in the game? After the next election, if I am alive, I will ask this govt. the same question. Editor, is money and power the root of all evil? Look at these boldfaced people how they will campaign and criticize the govt. of the day and then play the same game.
The govt. claims that invitation for proposals was sent to six (6) short listed consultants and only Vikab responded. The professional, transparent and accountable thing to do is to now request proposals publicly and internationally, because the response was not competitive. It was alleged that during the Jagdeo regime, consultants and contractors were retained by a certain method, six consultants will be asked to submit proposals and five of them will be advised to show a very high cost so they will be disqualified, for the favoured one out of the six, then the next round; one out of the five will be favoured and the process continued.
To select Vikab without a full call is wrong. To add insult to injury, the very contractor – who failed in his contract, his performance, schedule, variations and extra work, had many deficiencies, and allegedly an over-valued contract – will be retained to correct his own deficiencies and probably another high priced contract, instead of his performance bond paying for the repairs.
This beats me in my professional practice and Jagdeo would not demonstrate such ignorance publicly. Again to note, that costs of works from the allegedly corrupt PPP, to the Coalition, have not been reduced. The same MOF, the same game.
The award of the Kato school repairs to Vikab Consultant and Kares Engineering is shameful as reflected above. In addition, the coalition govt. when in opposition condemned the Kato school costs, condemned Vikab as the man of business during the PPP time. I agree with the government to remove Jagdeoites from several positions, but why retain the guys at the very company that did not perform its duties.
Joe Persaud

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