Foreign Controlled Company sets up Concrete Factory with no EPA,CHPA approval

May 08, 2021 News

– Contributes to rapid destruction of South Ruimveldt Road

The Superior Concrete Inc. project that is being developed adjacent to South Ruimveldt

Kaieteur News – A foreign-controlled company, Superior Concrete Inc., whose company officers are Ian Charles Jones, Richard Austin Shamlin and Maxwell Christopher Snow, have proceeded to build a concrete batching facility in Houston without any regulatory permissions.

Superior Concrete Inc. Director, Ian Charles Jones

Residents in the area have complained that during the last few weeks, trucks, some of which are branded MMC have been using the David Rose Street, South Ruimveldt Gardens, as their main entrance to the facility, while adding that this has contributed to the rapid destruction of the road. The trucks have also been working during the night, creating a noise nuisance for the residents.
To make matters worse, when the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) visited the site to serve a Contravention Order this week, this Order was discarded by Ian Jones, one of the company’s officials.The land in question is a development adjacent to South Ruimveldt Gardens. Kaieteur News was able to obtain a copy of the transport for the plot in use and observed that it is part of Houston Estates, which is owned by Michael Vieira. He is also the Chairman of Houston Estates.
KN also understands that Vieira has no part of the operation but has leased the lands to Andrew Mekdeci. The relationship between Mekdeci and Superior Concrete Inc. is unknown. When Kaieteur News visited the site on Friday, it observed that machinery operating on the site was branded MMC, a company owned and controlled by Mekdeci.
Checks with the Mayor and City Council and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have confirmed that no permissions for this development were given. Also, no application was even made for same.
The foregoing circumstance is one of many that underscore yet again, the need for the relevant authorities to regulate companies like Superior Concrete that are formed in Guyana with majority foreign control but fail to comply with the nation’s laws.
Furthermore, the gross disrespect for the rule of law, such as the way in which Superior Concrete has disregarded all applicable laws and processes, highlights the importance of regulating such entities that are quickly setting up shop to benefit from Guyana’s lucrative, emergent oil and gas sector.
It also calls for even greater scrutiny to be placed on their local content objectives.
Kaieteur News intends to keenly follow this operation and how the authorities handle it.