Dear Editor,
A contract for the construction of a Pump Station at Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara, Region #3, was awarded to Tepui Group Inc. on August 14, 2023. The procuring entity was the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Ministry of Agriculture. This company which was formed only a year ago was awarded the contract through the tendering process at the National Procurement Tender Administration (NPTAB) on August 14, 2023. Social media commentator, Mikhail Rodrigues, popularly known as “Guyanese Critic” is part of the company that received the $865 contract without meeting the technical requirements.
The company is affiliated with the ‘Guyanese Critic’ who is a close friend of leaders in the People’s Progressive Party, particularly Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Research has revealed that this company has no experience in building any similar structures as required by law which indicates that the technical requirements required by the successful bidder is to have successfully completed projects of a similar nature and size within the last three years. The fact that a company was awarded a nearly billion-dollar contract stinks of all kind of financial ‘disbursements’. The specter of Amalia Hydro, Skeldon Sugar, Enmore Packaging, and Marriot Construction hangs over this nation like a shadow of doom … thanks to the chief honcho and defacto President.
For a company established in, August 2022, being awarded an$865M contract- Tepui Group Inc. whilst failing to meet the requirements for the project is collusion and fraud at the echelons of this regime as no one can verify the project’s requirement and experience for three years prior. It must be remembered that some 26 companies submitted bids ranging from 740 million to 1.2 Billion so therefore 125 million over the lowest bidder seems a lot of people will be having free lunch for a long time! This glaring inconsistency not only raises doubts about the institution’s adherence to the law but, additionally, spews ample testimony of the corrupt practices of the PPP in awarding contracts to family and friends.
Yours truly,
Leyland Roopnarine