Guyanese transport executive in NY fired for handing out jobs to family

Oct 06, 2022 News

(NY Post) – A longtime MTA construction boss was fired last week after an investigation revealed he arranged jobs for family members on $18 million worth of contracts he oversaw for the agency, The Post has learned.

Ramnarace “Reese” Mahabir, 67, was escorted out of the East New York bus depot by armed guards last Wednesday — two days before he planned to retire in order to avoid punishment, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation.

Ramnarace “Reese” Mahabir was escorted out of the East New York bus depot by armed guards after he was found to be giving his family jobs. (G.N.Miller/NYPost)

Mahabir was flagged by the MTA inspector general for arranging for work for his brother and nephew on MTA construction gigs. The nephew, Ajay Mahabir, was hired by Rising Sun Construction in March 2021 to work as a site safety supervisor on a $14.6 million façade renovation at the East New York bus depot — despite not having the required qualifications for the role, according to documents reviewed by The Post.

His father, meanwhile, worked for a different contractor, Monpat Construction, on several MTA bus construction projects, including a $3.9 million job to repair the roof of the Fresh Pond bus depot, sources said. At no point did Reese Mahabir, a 34-year MTA veteran, flag the potential conflicts of interest for his superiors, the investigation found. MTA officials only uncovered the family’s scheming on April 29, 2022 — when a contractor employee suffered a broken leg on the worksite where Ajay Mahabir was in charge of safety. He ultimately resigned from the position in July, sources said.

Reese Mahabir’s retirement party scheduled for last Friday was unceremoniously canceled after his dramatic termination, according to an electronic invitation viewed by The Post. Mahabir, who earned $172,024 in 2021, worked in the capital construction division of the MTA’s bus division until 2020, when he was reassigned to headquarters amid an authority-wide reorganization. A source close to the investigation said the longtime MTA hack’s power over the projects he oversaw would have made contractors reluctant to deny his family members jobs.

“He can make your life miserable where you start to lose money,” the source said of Mahabir’s role as a contract manager. Reached by phone, a rep for Monpat denied knowledge of the investigation or its findings.

A man who identified himself as one of the owners of Rising Sun Construction declined to comment. “I don’t know anything about. I’m not interested in this. I don’t know anything about this guy,” the man said. The MTA confirmed that Mahabir was removed from authority property on Sept. 28. “The MTA does not tolerate actions that violate the All-Agency Code of Ethics, NYS Public Officer’s Law and the public trust,” authority rep Michael Cortez said in a statement. “This employee no longer is employed by the MTA.” Approached outside his home in Queens, Mahabir claimed to be a relative as he hopped into what multiple sources confirmed was his brand new BMW SUV. He refused to show ID to confirm his identity, and claimed he did not have his wallet on him. “You got the wrong guy. I’m a relative,” Mahabir said. “He moved to Florida yesterday.”

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