https://citizensreportgy.com/?p=13727
Contained within the 21st December 2019, publication of the Official Gazette, Caretaker Minister, David Patterson, has signed Order No. 96 of 2019 under the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes Act to acquire a total of 123.323 acres of lands on both sides of the Demerara River.

The citation of the Order reads, “This Order may be cited as the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes (Construction of access roadways to the New Demerara River Crossing Order 2019.”

According to the Order, “A strip of land bordered red containing 55.623 acres, comprising of tracts ‘RR’, ‘RR1’, ‘RR2’, ‘RR3’, parcels 184,4727. sub-parcel 4220A and sub-parcel 204A, being portions of Plantations Houston and Ruimveldt, situated in the City of Georgetown…”

“Two strips of land (A and B) containing 36.37 and 7.43 acres respectively being portions of Plantation Versailles, situated on the West Bank of the Demerara River…”

“A strip of land containing 23.9 acres being portion of Plantation Goed Fortuin, Versailles, Malgre Tout, Klien Pouderoyen, Grant 7042 and 7043 in the rear of Plantation Vreed En Hoop, situated on the West Bank of the Demerara River…”

The Order states that the lands are for the proposed construction of the access roadways, which is declared to be a public work, that is, construction of access roadways to the New Demerara River Crossing. The Caretaker Minister is planning to acquire these lands to build access roadways for the New Demerara River Crossing while the feasibility study for the new river crossing is still not finalized.

Notably, the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River bridge was the subject of an investigation by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).  The PPC report following its investigation into the procurement of consultancy services for the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River bridge made clear that there was breach of Guyana’s procurement laws.

The PPC report noted that Cabinet approved some $161.5M for the contract, while the actual contract price was $148M. The $13.5M remains unaccounted for.

Further, the foreign company involved was a Dutch Company, LivenseCSO. The PPC report noted that several companies bid for the project – to do the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River bridge – and 12 companies were shortlisted. The report added that only two of the 12 companies made proposals.

As such the bidding process was annulled. It added that on November 12, 2016, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) approved the move for the project to be re-tendered. The project was not re-tendered. Instead, Patterson’s Ministry moved to directly engage LivenseCSO.

The report, on page 7, noted that the bid from LivenseCSO was “unsolicited” and added that Patterson then took the company’s proposal to Cabinet for approval. Cabinet granted its approval for the company to be engaged.

The report added that, “The PPC noted that the Minster of Public Infrastructure, by memorandum dated November 18 2016, made a request to the Cabinet for Government seeking consideration and approval to use funds from the Demerara Harbor Bridge Corporation to fund the feasibility study and to commence a contractual engagement with LievenseCSO as of the 1 Jan 2017. The PPC noted that this request to Cabinet was not forwarded through the NPTA but submitted directly by the Minister of Public Infrastructure. The PPC also noted that Cabinet considered the memorandum submitted by the Minister of Public Infrastructure and in November 2016 approved a total sum of $161, 514, 420 to be used from the Demerara Harbor Bridge Corporation to cover cost for the feasibility study for a new bridge across the Demerara river.”

Notably, the General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, according to the PPC report, disclosed that the Board of the Corporation was not involved in the decision to spend its monies.

The report said, “He (Mr. Adams) stated that he had not signed the contract on behalf of the DHBC, but only because he was requested to do so by the Minister of Public Infrastructure.”

Further, earlier this year, Great Wall Inc. – of which Saratu Phillips is a Director, received: • 20 acres at Schoonard Foreshore, Region 3 (in the Demerara River – proposed site for shore-based facility) – File Number 332242/3 • 20 acres at Goed Fortuin, Region 3 (in the Demerara River – proposed site for shorebased facility) – File number 3322421/3 • 50 acres at Best Foreshore, Region 3 – File Number 332231/38. Political commentators are questioning whether Patterson plans to acquire portions of lands from Phillips and make a massive payout to him.