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Former Member

Govt Minister, others cashing in $M from GPL contract – Jagdeo

17
 

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is claiming that a Government Minister is cashing in on millions of dollars on a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) contract that was awarded for rehabilitative works on the company’s distribution network.
Jagdeo claimed the power company, with the blessings of the Minister in question, awarded a contract that was over a billion dollars above the second ranked bidder.
“We heard that a Minister drew down more money on this contract because it’s a US$6 million difference between what they awarded it for and what they should

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

have awarded it for – a substantial sum. And we heard that the GPL money is being used for all sorts of things,” the Opposition Leader told reporters during a press conference at his Church Street, Georgetown office on Wednesday.
When asked during the press conference to name the Minister whom he is making the allegation against, Jagdeo noted that he will do so only after being in receipt of the supportive documents.
He was referring to the US$23 million (G$4.6 billion) contract awarded to China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation and China Sinogy Electric Engineering Co Limited Consortium for the rehabilitation of the low and medium voltage distribution network for GPL. The contract was reportedly awarded more than $1 billion over the engineer’s estimate and is currently in litigation before the courts.
The rehabilitation of 328km of GPL’s low and medium voltage network is part of the Power Utility Upgrade Programme, which also includes the procurement and installation of smart meters throughout the network, intended to enhance the company’s operational efficiency. The project is being funded through a multibillion-dollar Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and European Union (EU) loan agreement.
Moreover, during Wednesday’s press conference, the Opposition Leader sought to address GPL’s Chairman, Robert Badal, denouncement that there are some $20 billion sitting in one of the company’s accounts.
Jagdeo, at a previous press briefing had contended that the monies were earned, “… because (GPL) did not lower the price of electricity when the price of fuel fell on the world market (proportionate to the drop in fuel prices).”
In fact, he noted that “… (GPL) have collected from ordinary citizens, and our businessmen, some $20B more than they should have collected in two years from us, and it is sitting in an account at GPL.”

GPL Chairman Robert Badal

In response, however, the Chairman of the power company merely said “…GPL has achieved a significant improvement in its financial position.”
According to Jagdeo on Wednesday, Badal opted not to provide the actual figure since he is cashing in big on the extra earnings.
“I believe he does not want the public to know the figure – because he refused, he said Jagdeo is wrong but I can’t tell you what the figure is – is because they are busy drawing down from the $20 billion through a series of corrupt practices,” he asserted.
The Opposition Leader went on to to say, “We heard that the GPL money is being used for all sorts of things… so Badal needs to tell the people of this country how much money is in that account. If I’m wrong and it’s not $20 billion, then how much is in the account and what it was over the last several months so you will see the movement in the amount.”

http://guyanatimesgy.com/govt-...gpl-contract-jagdeo/

The Prime Minister is deceiving and misleading


Dear Editor,
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo at the Oil & Gas Conference said his administration is “uncompromising about malfeasance and sleaze in public office” but if you investigate the Prime Minister’s track record you can only conclude he was engaging in sheer blasphemy.  When Sussex Street Bond Gate can happen under your watch and you are still paying that contractor for a contract that unethically attempts to make evil into good, or the Durban Park Project, where some G$700 million blatantly drained from the Treasury into private pockets for work not done and you jump up on stage and attempt to tell the nation about malfeasance and sleaze, you either have to be delusional, grossly misleading or downright mischievous.
When the party to which Mr. Nagamootoo can stand on that stage and talk about malfeasance and sleaze but the party to which he belongs has just whitewashed, even more, evidence of malfeasance and sleaze under that G$605 million medical supplies control, you know that the national will has no choice but to galvanize against such abomination.
Listening to that speech by the Prime Minister at the GOGA Conference will leave any right minded thinker nonplussed and bewildered because of its foundation in confounded deceit and deception.  This speech is entitled to so much moral weight as would be the judgment of a band of high school miscreants and illustrate that the Hon. Prime Minister is prepared to forfeiture any stature formerly associated with former Prime Ministers of Guyana such as Hugh Desmond Hoyte and Sam Hinds, men of some level of honesty and integrity. Shame on you Moses Nagamootoo for converting a Tamil Tiger into a Sophia Poodle!
Lisa Ally

 

how I missed this letter.  Whattax!

FM

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