Latest update March 26th, 2026 12:30 AM
‘Critic’s company blacklisted’ – Agriculture Minister
…says no more work for “delinquent” Tepui Group, others
(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha on Tuesday disclosed that Tepui Group Inc. and several other companies have been classified as delinquent contractors, noting that the ministry will not engage them for future projects.
Tepui Group, whose principal is Mikhail Rodrigues, popularly known as “Guyanese Critic,” was contracted in 2023 to construct the Belle Vue Pump Station at a cost of $865 million. The award of the multi-million-dollar contract attracted significant criticism, particularly over concerns that the contractor lacked experience in executing similar projects.
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha.
During day two of the consideration of estimates and expenditure, Minister Mustapha told the Committee of Supply that of the $16 billion allocated to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) for drainage and irrigation works this year, $10.7 billion will be used for retention and multi-year projects. He added that due to challenges encountered with contractors constructing pump stations, the ministry will adopt a different approach this year by procuring mobile pumps.
Responding to a question from Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul, the minister said the Belle Vue Pump Station is now 29% completed. He explained that the contract with Tepui Group allows for subcontracting and that Gaico Construction was brought on board last year to execute the works. The minister noted that the initial work done by Tepui was the excavation work.
While the project is now being executed by Gaico, Minister Mustapha said the ministry is still holding Tepui Group accountable and noted that a bond is in place to recoup costs. “Not only Tepui group, but what we have done in the last quarter of 2025 we have written to the National Procurement and Tendering Administration, and we listed approximately 30 contractors that we said that we don’t want to do business with them anymore. Those are delinquent contractors from the Ministry of Agriculture, and we will not want to do any business with them. And that has been sent to the national procurement board and I hope that anytime those persons tender for a job at the Ministry of Agriculture, we will object to it,” the minister disclosed.
A July 2025 photo of the works at the Belle Vue Pump Station (Photo credit: Gaico Construction)
He further noted that construction of the Meten-Meer-Zorg Pump Station is now 83% completed. “They had some difficulties there…and in two months’ time, I’m hoping that this can be completed,” he added.
According to the minister, the Pouderoyen Pump Station is 80% completed, the A-Line Pump Station is 25% completed, Jimbo Grove is 78% completed and Black Bush Polder is 87% completed. He said some of the pump stations now have revised completion dates of August 2026. Minister Mustapha also disclosed that about nine pump stations are expected to be completed this year, noting that the Anna Regina, Montrose, Canal Number One, Ogle and several others have already been completed.
“So, what we have decided now, this year, we’ll be procuring 40 mobile pumps that will be placed in vulnerable areas to avoid these pump stations being constructed and take a long time. So as soon as this budget is approved, we’ll put out advertisement…and this will help us tremendously and this will be more effective,” the minister noted.
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