Lethem’s AFC PR concerned about issues surrounding Regional Tender Board

May 06, 2019 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Please permit me some space in your letter columns, to highlight the plight of the contractors in Lethem town that was recently dreadfully overlooked and sidelined by the Chairman of the Tender Board i.e. the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker.
I must say that we all loved the fact that there was a change of government back in May 2015 and the Guyanese people give this administration all the glory and blessings and love and confidence as they entered office based on their promises and appeals to the masses and songs of unity were singing all across Guyana. However, as time progressed, we all know what unfolded.
The issue here is a guy who is no stranger to controversy and who is no stranger to the press and who was gifted the REO Position shortly after May 2015. The Rupununi people have no problem with the guy, he is an ambitious person, intelligent and courageous but it is the manner in which he handles power and the affairs of the region. That is why it is quite appalling on how the contracts were awarded and who they were awarded to.
Editor, no evaluation was done, therefore Tender Board never met to conduct such evaluations, the opposition never saw a published list of awarded contracts and as such one had to only guess or depend on hearsay from the streets of Lethem as to who really won which ever contracts.
As a result of this, the contractors that were denied contracts could not have appealed since it’s by law that a contractor has five working days to appeal to Tender Board after projects were awarded if he/she felt they are the best person for the job. They had no clue on what took place since it wasn’t done in a transparent manner.
Editor, one can only agree that this REO has ultimately hijacked the Regional Tender Board here in Lethem and persons including the opposition members in this Region are reluctant to highlight this injustice done to credible contractors whom have a proven track record and who would have strapped themselves with all the necessary documentations and who possess all the necessary tools and equipment only to be overlooked.
Editor, I made sure what I am saying here is factual since my brother-in-law, who is the Regional Vice Chairman (and please note we support different parties) was quizzed on why they are taking the REO so lightly and it was revealed that they ask him for a publish list of the awarded contracts but the REO was dodging them and he also refused to meet with them.
This writer is quite sure that the necessary procedures were taken in the other regions where awarding of contracts are concerned. It is only fair enough to conclude now that Carl Parker is the Tender Board and the Tender Board is Carl Parker.
Moreover, it is no secret that this REO return with vengeance, to get to the people who would have opposed his actions and views, but it appears that he has more guts than sense. A letter was published last year December (please open the link where a bunch of fake names were undersigned), when we very well know exactly who wrote it. Fake just like the person who wrote it. https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2018/12/21/let-carl-parker-return/ I don’t need to sign a fake name to get my way because I am not scared of anything or anybody.
In that letter, the person hiding behind fake names accused the Chairman and the Vice Chairman of riding the previous REO, and that they are promoting racism and hate throughout the Rupununi, among other things, which are all lies and fake news. Editor, what follows in the upcoming paragraphs will expose this current REO’s hypocrisy. I know the persons who signed their names below that letter wouldn’t even recognise their own names if it were written on a piece of paper, they are a bunch of dunce.
So the writer hiding his face like Bin Laden instruct those men which are his cronies to sign their names. Maybe he thinks Lethem has a bunch of dunce like his cronies whom he recruited and turn them into contractors. In another letter, I will outline their records to the nation.
Today though, we are labelled as ‘oppositionist’ even as I would have stand at his side like a disciple, eat from the same table and ‘cuss’ the PPP with him back in opposition and campaign alongside him, slept in the same house, since at the time, his daughter and I were good friends and still are, I shared the same views with him because we wanted to see the back of the PPP so badly.
My dad, who was bidding for Government projects since in the late 80s, he even drove this guy all across Guyana i.e. to and from Georgetown, free of cost, paid his hotel bills and gave him cash for his personal use when his back was against the wall. That’s how good the friendship was. I don’t know where his cronies were back then, maybe he can say though. But because my father is the father-in-law of the Vice Chairman, he is one of the most senior contractor that is being victimised.
Back in opposition, there was a cry for a level playing field and this same government was in the streets protesting and advocating for same. Today, the ball is in our court and we are not playing by the rules. I need not remind the masses which Minister is responsible for the Infrastructure Ministry and which party he comes from.
This is a key reason why the government is at a standstill, it is a Coalition Government but it is ruling in favour of one type of people and not in favour of all the people. I must commend the Infrastructure Ministry for doing an excellent job throughout this country, it is so excellent that this Ministry did far better than the previous Government but certain elements within the local government level and at central government is costing us dearly.
Where it gets interesting
This is where it gets interesting, a list with the awarded contracts was finally leaked and the list is bloated with a bunch of first timers and strong supporters of APNU and not AFC who have no record of paying taxes in this country, who have no record of work done in the respective field, who have no necessary tools and equipment and persons who are predominantly Afro Guyanese, much to the dismay of this writer whose family wholeheartedly voted for Mr. Nagamootoo back in May 2015. It’s like the REO set an exam where one particular race is passing and the others are failing. Please note that nothing is wrong with blessing someone with a project or two, but key players with all the experiences and who have been paying their taxes and who have a proven track record must not be overlooked in favour of persons simply because of the texture of their hair. This is the moment when this anointed one (chosen by the Honourable Minister Bulkhan) was supposed to exercise unity, fairness and social cohesion and love, but he made division and hate and loyalty to the PNC got the best of him.
Furthermore, a point to note editor, it was my father’s transportation that was constantly used during the campaign period transporting supporters of the Coalition who were at the time, in opposition, back and forth and throughout the length and breadth of the Rupununi free of cost. The crowds that greeted you during the campaigns, three quarters of them got there with my father’s transportation. Another prominent contractor who also campaign and is part of the AFC, Royston Fitzpatrick was over looked in favour of Afro Guyanese, this guy drove opposition leader at the time Mr. David Granger on several occasions whenever he visited the Rupununi. The other contractors were overlooked simply because the REO has this bold idea that they are all PPP supporters and also because they are Indo Guyanese and Amerindians, as such they are being victimised. This Government never turned a blind eye on BK International, one of the largest construction firms in this country that gained most of its wealth from the PPPC administration, so what really is wrong with this guy? What kind of game is he playing? Isn’t it your democratic right to support a party of your choice?
In his response to an article that was carried in the Kaieteur News on this issue, he mentioned all the bad things the PPP did to him which is understandable, but what he didn’t mention is what really happened when his PNC Government dismissed him from the Army after serving as a cadet officer, he also failed to mention that it was the PPP that sent him to University of Guyana and he also failed to mention why he was subsequently transferred to Region Eight and why he was hauled before the Magistrate’s Court. Editor, this writer can proudly say that he was never fortunate to be given a scholarship from anybody, I was pushed around and around and around when I was seeking one as a 19- year-old Rupununi youth back in 2008 to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree. One of the reasons why I never voted for the PPP. I am still paying back my student’s loan today.
So Parker should consider himself fortunate and stop hating and stop attacking my family. On the question of me being a public servant and was awarded a project last year, this is something that I don’t deny, I was the lone bidder. But how come this REO don’t know that my very good “padna” who works with the Ministry of Agriculture in Lethem attached to GLDA is a public servant? How come this REO keeps on awarding him with contracts in Dietary every single year? How come this REO also award an 11 million dollar contract to another public servant in North Rupununi? I would advise this REO to conduct his duties in a professional manner and stop acting like a crab (one sided) I would like to hear my leader, Raphael Trotman who knows me personally to have a say on this. For too long we been allowing APNU to run the show, it’s time we show some credibility.
No transparency, conflict of interest and cronyism
In addition, the question of accountability and transparency, something that we cuss out the PPP for while in opposition, one just have to beg the question, where really is it now? Does this government really care about returning to office next year? How long will they keep on tolerating such barefacedness from this guy? Is this the way he will continue to run the business and affairs of this region and Tender Board?
He was trusted and tasked to handle the affairs of this region in a professional manner. Did the Honourable Ronald Bulkhan instruct this REO to carry out his duties in such a one-sided manner? Where is the so called good life for all Guyanese? Where is the level playing field? Where is Transparency International Guyana Inc.? Where is Chairperson of the Public Procurement Commission, Ms. Carol Corbin?
Next, if I am to mention the levels of conflict of interest, I’ll become the villain, the entire Lethem now knows who this guy awarded contracts to with some fancy millions in contracts being award to specific family members. I wouldn’t mention them here, I will challenge him to state it here whenever he replies. It’s a simple challenge, so he will either publish it or state which of his family members he awarded them to. On the question of cronyism, this guy surrounds himself with his friends who suddenly bluff their way and become contractors out of the blues with no track record in this field.
Now, one only wonders who is riding who or who is the rider and who is the donkey? His cronies park their vehicles and are practically living at his residence on a daily basis. He even took one of them along with him to Region Eight and allowed him to stay at his residence, gifted him several projects, brought him back with him here to the Rupununi and its business as usual. Yet he is saying that he is the best thing that ever happen to Region Nine. Never have I seen a public official in such a sensitive position as this, could get down so lawless. This guy can’t get more corrupt nor can’t get more reckless. He is on a suicide mission and I don’t expect the Honourable Bulkan to stop him, Bulkan is a big Fan of him, I expect my AFC leaders to voice their concern, I expect them to be the people they said they are, I expect them to start calling the shots. I expect them to propose to cabinet to hire a few AFC bound REO’s in some regions if we are elected again. And even then, I doubt they will do anything at all.
Please understand editor, that it was never my intention to penned this letter because my vote helped this government into office just like all the rebellious Indians who were angry with the PPP, but after several interviews and discussions with these neglected contractors including my father, I had to let this country know what is being played out in this part of Guyana. We are in the season where society is crying for clean governance and at this sensitive time of elections public officials should not be making these kinds of grave mistakes.
I’ll conclude by saying that the PPP while in government encouraged corruption among its constituency and the current government is doing the same. It’s like a copy and paste job is being conducted at almost every Ministry that exists. Who have eyes can see that the Volda Lawrence statement about she only giving ‘wuk’ to PNC people and that she only has PNC friends is alive and being well executed in Lethem Rupununi. So without further adieu, I am calling on the Ethnic Relations Commission which is intended, inter alia, to promote good relations, harmony, peace, tolerance and understanding between our peoples; provide equal opportunity between persons of different ethnic groups and proscribe ethnic discrimination to have a say on this grave injustice done by this REO.
The sidelined contractors your excellencies, are only asking that a probe be launched here in Lethem, Region Nine on the manner in which awarding of contracts to questionable individuals without no evaluation process whatsoever by this REO. This is not what we voted for and is definitely not what we bargained for. It was the AFC that put this government in office and they were supposed to be the watchdog of this administration. Better must come.
Best Regards,
Romel Harrinandan
AFC PR Candidate Constituency 4 Lethem

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