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‘Where Is the Work’ — Mahipaul alleges corruption, demands forensic audit of local govt. projects
(Kaieteur News) – A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul on Wednesday called for there to be instituted, a forensic audit into funds allocated for projects under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
During the third day of the 2026 Budget Debates, Mahipaul questioned whether billions of dollars approved by Parliament have translated into tangible work.
Speaking during the presentation in the 13th Parliament, Mahipaul said there must be full accountability for every project executed under the ministry, challenging the then minister, Sonia Parag, to account for every dollar spent on local government initiatives such as markets, drainage works, and green spaces.
APNU Member of Parliament (MP), Ganesh Mahipaul
Mahipaul criticised the scale of funding channelled into infrastructural and capital works, arguing that many projects are marked by waste and corruption rather than meaningful development.
“Let me be clear, Mr Speaker, investment in business is necessary, development is necessary. The problem arises when development is geared to benefit the rich at the expense of the poor and vulnerable,” he said.
He reminded the House that for the 2025 fiscal year, the Ministry of Local Government was allocated $41.8 billion, of which $38.7 billion was earmarked for capital expenditure and $3.1 billion for current expenditure.
According to Mahipaul, $2.7 billion under capital expenditure alone was spent after receiving parliamentary approval on the assurance that “tangible, visible, and measurable” works would be delivered.
“We were told that there was going to be a design and supervision consultancy for Bourda Green amounting to $40 million, $260 million for phase one, $50 million formulation of the La Penitence Market, $75 million for the green space at Merrimans Mall, and $200 million for Stabroek Market. The remainder, we were told, went into drainage work,” Mahipaul said.
However, he contended that despite the records indicating that the entire $2.7 billion was fully spent, there is little to no evidence on the ground to justify the expenditure.
“Mr Speaker, the budget books says that every cent of the $2.7 billion was spent, fully spent, exhausted, gone. And so, I asked, on behalf of this House and the Guyanese people, where is the work? Where is the $75 million green space at Merrimans Mall where is the $100 million, the $50 million rehabilitation of the East Ruimveldt Market? Where is the $260 million Phase One of Bourda Green? There is no evidence,” he said.
Mahipaul described the situation as “incompetence and wastage” and insisted that a forensic audit is necessary to determine how public funds were utilised.
He further demanded that former Minister of Local Government Sonia Parag account to the National Assembly for the expenditure.
“The Honourable Sonia Parag must rise in this House and account for every dollar,” he declared.
Mahipaul alleged that if the funds allocated did not materialise into concrete works, they may have been used for personal gain.
“The unavoidable conclusion is this: the money went into somebody’s pocket. A forensic audit will reveal who, when, and where the funds went,” he said.
He added that if public funds recorded as spent cannot be physically verified, such actions amount to “public theft.”
“The Honourable Sonia Parag must tell this House where the money is, who has it, and how they got it,” Mahipaul asserted while challenging the government to allow citizens to judge whether the projects reflect the monies allocated and recorded as spent.
“I issue a direct challenge to the government: let the man in the street see if these markets reflect these astronomical sums that were allocated in 2025 and spent out. Let the vendors, residents, and commuters, judge whether the $2.7 billion and hundreds of millions more exist in actual work or only on paper,” he said.
Mahipaul concluded by warning that the discrepancy between official records and reality undermines public trust.
“The books tell one story, but reality tells another. When the books and reality part ways, the banned ‘C’ word (corruption) enters the forum. This is a grave matter, Mr. Speaker. It strikes at the heart of transparency, accountability, and good governance. The people of Guyana deserve answers, not excuses,” the opposition MP declared.
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