Pres. Ali roasts tardy contractors

Nov 13, 2024 News

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…chides ministers, Permanent secretaries for poor oversight

Kaieteur News- President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday roasted contractors for infrastructural project delays while reprimanding ministers, permanent secretaries and engineers for poor oversight.

Ali reportedly invited contractors who are four months or more behind on government projects to a 5:30 AM meeting at State House. All subject ministers and their permanent secretaries as well as engineers were also mandated to attend the meeting which was streamed live on his Facebook Page and other social media platforms.

The Ministers, along with their staff (Permanent Secretaries (PS) and Engineers) and some contractors arrived on time for the meeting. However, those who were late were locked out of the President’s home.

The contractors were badly scolded for all to see. The live broadcast, which was widely circulated, was viewed by at least 145,000 persons. The ministers and the engineers and other technical staff were not spared. They were reprimanded for poor oversight.

The head of state singled out each ministry and instructed the ministers, permanent secretaries and engineers to stand before naming each contractor guilty of delayed projects.

The meeting began with the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport and Ali called on EC Modern Design, GD’s Construction and Supplies, Angad Ghanesh, Morris Jefferies Enterprise.

He then moved on to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.

The Minister was unavailable but the permanent secretary did not attend the meeting. Notwithstanding, the president named the contractors working on projects that are under the purview of that ministry as was done for the previous ministry.

He continued the trend until he unleashed a scolding on everyone when he found out some contractors were late for the meeting and others did not attend the meeting. Minister of Human Services and Social Protection Dr. Vindhya Persaud was not at the meeting and this appeared to have angered the President.

“There is a reason why I called this meeting,” he said before adding “Because for these projects to be continued it requires effort.”

Minister Priya Manickchand and her staff were next in line to be reprimanded.

After learning that one of the contractors working with the Ministry reportedly did not have a representative in the city, Ali reacted by saying, “That is what y’all taking? The excuses from these people all the time”.

He then turned his attention to that ministry’s permanent secretary, asking “How dem does collect payment, how do they collect payment PS, ansa hard, a want hear yuh, ah want the whole country to hear, they come to the Ministry of Education to collect payment but they can’t come to a meeting, when they are behind on project.”

President Ali continued to blister the Ministry for Education for its poor oversight and told the Minister Manickchand, “Priya yuh see your problem, a total lack of commitment and if yall continue to allow it, we won’t get any success. Out of all the contractor that was invited from your sector, one is here”.

Attention was placed on the Ministry of Local Government. That ministry’s permanent secretary arrived late and was forced to stand outside of State House. The head engineer for that ministry was also late.

“That is why these projects can’t complete, they gating,” the president declared.

He then asked “What is the name of the PS?” and added “A want yuh announce it (PS’ Name) let the people hear.”

The permanent secretary’s name was given as Miguel Chukhan. The Engineer was identified as Satrohan Nauth.

Minister with responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh did not escape the president’s ire. The president asked him whether he tolerates the lax and tardy behaviour at his meetings.

Dr. Singh tried to explain instead of providing a direct answer and in response President Ali said, “And I don’t wanna see semantics this morning and words, is yes or no”

Singh responded that there are contractors who fail to attend meetings from time to time.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill was scolded by the president for trying to make excuses for a delayed project. Similarly, a contractor had objected saying that he was not at fault for the delay in the project he was awarded since he did not receive a commencement letter.

This was the case with a few contractors.

The President asked the Ministry’s engineer for an explanation and the technical officer claimed that he provided the commencement letter but the contractor maintained he did not receive it.

Amidst the exchange between the contractor and the engineer, Minister Edghill informed the president that “terrible bad blood’ between the contractor and the engineer and it is affecting his Ministry’s project Management.

Ali responded, “That is how we managing project now? By bad blood? Man Minister… I ain’t expect you fuh get up and tell me this.”

After disciplining his ministers, Ali warned contractors that if the projects are not finished by year end, then their contracts will be terminated.

He said, “There are certain basic things necessary in conditioning your minds to be successful…the first thing is positivity, what type of energy you demonstrate”.

 Ali added, “From his very meeting, the approach from some of the contractors and the engineers, tell me that the right balance of energy is not existing for an effect (tive) project management environment.”

 He reminded the contractors that if they fail to complete their projects then they will be black listed.

(Pres. Ali roasts tardy contractors)

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• contractors, engineers, Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, poor oversight., President Irfaan Ali

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