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Contractor admits we can’t build, but we can manage money
– points to Jamzone, Guyana Carnival and Football tournaments as evidence
Kaieteur news – Popular Guyanese entertainers more commonly known as disc jockeys (DJs), and proprietors of Hits and Jams, turned building contractors, have come out to defend their recent acquisition of a lucrative government deal, to build the Bamia Primary school in Region 10, saying despite having no experience in the field of construction, they are qualified in managing money.
DJs turned Government Building Contractors, Rawle Ferguson (right) and Kerwin Bollers
This publication on Friday reported that Statement Investment Inc.’s DJ, Rawle Ferguson, on Tuesday signed the contract for the construction of a $346M school at Bamia, Region 10. Football promoter, Shanghai Major is also listed as one of the company’s principals for that new construction company. Ferguson in an invited comment published by online news outfit BIGSMITH News Watch told that publication in defense of their qualifications, “…to be quite frank, we have been managing projects in the billions for a very long time…you know about Jam Zone, you know about Guyana Carnival, Kashif and Shanghai tournament. These are really big hospitality/tourism projects.”
He cited as example “carnival would have brought about 50,000 people the last time and you did that by $1000 per person. You will get like $10 billion dollars and you do VAT from that you will get $ 1.4 billion. So we have been making money not just for our citizens, but for our government for quite some time in our country.”
With regards the $346M school contract and the company’s ability to execute the project, Ferguson told the news outfit “we are managing the project, getting the right technical people and experienced people to do specific jobs, and the people of Linden and the kids of Linden will be educated in a comfortable and very good building. So I don’t think it’s an issue.”
He further defended his entrepreneurial expansion into construction saying “to be quite frank, I started as a DJ. I am now a radio/television station owner, and now doing government building contracts”
According to Ferguson “If we were to just sit and focus on entertainment for the past two years, nothing was being done because of the pandemic. So you have to diversify, you have to push the envelope, you have to push yourself.”
The DJ turn building contractor is reported as explaining that, while “we are not plumbers and masons,” the intention is to ensure that the Government of Guyana gets the best finished product for the taxpayers’ money.
The contract was signed at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. Substantive Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, at the time of the signing said that the project is expected to be completed within 20 months. Dharamlall had also indicated that an engineering firm would be contracted during the course of the construction.
Regional Executive Officer, Dwight John, who inked the contract on behalf of the Region pointed to the need for a school in the locale considering the expanded housing drive.
This publication on Thursday last reported that Region 10 Chairman, Deron Adams, in criticising the award of the contract, pointed to the ‘unknown builders,’ which was done at the level of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. Four companies had submitted bids for the contract. Adams said the Regional Democratic Council’s Public Works Committee will be closely monitoring the project, given it was awarded to a new contractor.
“The Council pledges to continue to monitor these projects and hold these new contractors, the various Ministries and the Regional Executive Officer, Dwight John, accountable for the efficient and effective delivery of quality work on this and all other development projects funded by the taxes paid by its constituents and all Guyanese.”
Adams also expressed his disappointment that the contract was signed without his notification, as an elected official of the region.
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