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Sole-sourcing of exercise, textbooks…Education Ministry blames National Printers for irregularities but fail to address paying high prices
The Ministry of Education (MoE) has distanced itself from the multi-million-dollar purchasing of exercise and other books from overseas for government schools.
The statement came after disclosures this week that local printers were complaining bitterly about being bypassed as the Guyana National Printers Limited (GNPL) doled out hundreds of millions of dollars to producers and printeries overseas.
GNPL has reportedly been doling out hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase exercise and text books overseas, sideling locals.
There were little or no advertisements. Local suppliers said that they were not told of the orders.
The exercise and textbooks are given out to students of the government-run schools.
According to the ministry in its statement, yesterday, it has taken note of an article published in the Wednesday, May 1, 2019 edition of Kaieteur News with the headline “$100M spent to ‘upgrade’ National Printers yet… Education Min. bypasses local printeries to sole-source from T&T”.
The MoE said it wishes to advise that the printing of exercise books and textbooks produced locally is contracted to the GNPL which is a state-owned entity, located at 1 Public Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, Guyana.
“The Education Ministry has no arrangement for printing of local text and exercise books with any other company as is inferred in the article,” the statement said.
However, glaringly absent from the statement is the price that the ministry paid GNPL for the books.
GNPL’s GM, Trevor Bassoo
It appears, too, that MoE did not determine what price GNPL was paying for each book or worse yet, did not care how taxpayers dollars are being spent.
It would be pertinent in determining if the country got value for its money.
In any case, from all indications, GNPL appeared to have breached all the protocols when it came to procurement.
Yesterday, GNPL’s General Manager, Trevor Bassoo, when contacted, said he was not prepared to speak.
Rather, he said, a statement would be forthcoming. He did not say when.
In November 2016, President David Granger visited the La Penitence facilities of the state-owned Guyana National Printers Limited (GNPL).
Over the years, it had been critical in producing exercise and text books for distribution in schools; birth, death and marriage certificates, Official Gazettes and other parliamentary documents including the budget estimates, calendars, labels, other forms and cardboard boxes.
However, despite celebrating 80 years in operation, a lack in investments and mismanagement has been bleeding the operations.
In late 2016, during the visit, the President promised that he will assist in facilitating a cash injection to help reverse the losses.
Reportedly, $100M was plugged into the operations to upgrade and modernize the printery.
A used printing press was acquired from overseas and installed early last year but it has failed to deliver.
Since last year, GNPL has been engaging suppliers in Trinidad and Tobago to produce exercise books and text books.
Local printers are saying they have the capacity to print for way cheaper than what is being produced and shipped from Trinidad to Guyana.
The number of exercise books needed annually is said to be over 500,000.
In 2015, according to a government statement following the President’s visit to GNPL, it was disclosed that the company suffered financial losses that year to the tune of some $60M as a result of poor oversight and poorly functioning equipment.
It was disclosed that with more advanced equipment, GNPL will be able to undertake 90 percent of the printing needs of the Government.
That is not yet a reality.
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