14 minute read
consultant, P
Days after $356M contract terminated
Contractor now blames Ministry consultant, COVID for delays
Chung’s Global both parties that VIKAB Enterprise (CGE), would provide a completethe construction ly revised bill of quantities, company that days ago had complete with drawings its $356.8 million contract that included the piles and to construct the Health steel structures. Ministry headquarters ter- According to Chung, the minated due to delays, is commencement order was now pointing fingers at issued on July 19, 2018, afthe Ministry’s consultant, ter 98 days’ delay. VIKAB VIKAB and the COVID-19 then provided the first set pandemic, for causing the of construction drawings delays. This is despite the to CGE almost two months fact that the contractor was later. supposed to deliver the fin- Chung further claimed ished building in 2018. that VIKAB took until
On Monday, CGE September 2, 2019, before General Manager Keisha it provided the completely Chung said that the contract was first awarded on revised construction draw ings and bill of quanti The incomplete Health Ministry headquarters November 8, 2017, and that the Public Health Ministry, as it was known at the time, then took 155 days before they finally appointed VIKAB Engineering Consultants to oversee the project on April 12, 2018. Chung claimed that when VIKAB arrived, they found that the bill of quantities prepared for the project was poorly done and contained inadequacies. As such, it was agreed by ties - 353 days’ delay from when they got the first set of drawings. It was explained that the revised bill of quantities included curtain wall designs and specifications for windows, elevators, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical systems, CCTV and plumbing. Further variations were submitted in January 2020. “It should be noted that our first revised pricing was submitted in October 2019 but due to continued negotiations with VIKAB, we were able to submit our final price on August 3rd, 2020. Further, our final price on the revised bill was within the estimated price VIKAB came up with,” Chung said on Monday. She further claimed that VIKAB had been providing drawings in a “piecemeal manner” prior to September 2019, which she blamed for the company’s inability to effectively plan and procure materials. By this time, over a year had passed since the commencement order was issued. The General Manager claimed that throughout all of this, VIKAB never issued CGE with a warning letter or a letter terminating the contract. She said that after they received the revised documents, works comSOCU, CID called in... FROM PAGE 3 menced and continued until the COVID-19 pandemic and the then COVID-19 “Additionally, each of these matters will be passed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), for their investigations and any consequential actions which may flow therefrom,” he had also made clear in the statement. that there was a case against the respondents, two former Belizean Ministers, for transferring 56 parcels of State land. In this case, the lands were not only sold below market value, but also sold to a company controlled by one of them. He further cited the court ruling that “[A]s a matter the right of any person or body of persons to recover damages for injury flowing from such misconduct.” “Accordingly, we are of the view that the Attorney General could properly maintain an action for the tort of misfeasance in public office against Winston Jordan, and the Director of Task Force put a stop to it on April 3, 2020. Limited work then recommenced on July 17, 2020. “We have no interest in wasting taxpayers’ dollars on a matter that could have been amicably resolved,” Chung wrote. In a letter seen by this publication, Attorney
The AG had cited legal of public policy, serious in- Public Prosecutions could precedence for charging a fractions by a public ser- similarly maintain criminal former Minister. Nandlall vant, such as misbehaviour proceedings against the fornoted that in the case of in office, neglect of duty and mer Minister,” the indepenMarin v Attorney General breach of trust, are to be dent legal advice quoted by of Belize, 2011, it was ruled treated as crimes, subject to Nandlall stated.
General Anil Nandlall wrote to Cleon Chung of Chung’s Global Enterprise on Saturday and informed him that the contract was being terminated effective October 31, 2020, on the grounds of contractual breaches.
Chung’s was awarded the contract since 2017, to construct the Health Ministry’s head office building at Lot 1 Brickdam for the sum of $356.8 million. The commencement order was issued on July 19, 2018, and the contractor was supposed to complete the project within a year.
However, in September 2020, despite receiving $308.4 million for advance payments and mobilisation expenses, as well as two extensions totalling 317 days, permanent works are only 70 per cent completed at the site.
The contractor then submitted the repriced bill of quantities, demanding an additional sum of $513.3 million on August 3, 2020 - a mere day after the Government officially changed hands with the swearing-in of President Dr Irfaan Ali. This is almost triple the previously agreed price of $356.8 million.
“In further breach of the said contract you failed to respond within the required time in submitting additional requested information on the priced bill of quantities pursuant to clause 28.2 of General Conditions of Contract which provide that at the request of the employer, the contractor within seven days shall provide the employer with a detailed breakdown of prices of change in the quantities indicating the rates for kinds of works and value of consumable material. The employer shall evaluate those rates and value of consumable material in comparison with the bill of quantities,” Nandlall had written to the contractor.
The Attorney General, therefore, instructed the contractor to immediately stop all works, secure and vacate the site as soon as possible. According to Nandlall, the Government is not only terminating the contract but would also be instituting legal proceedings against the contractor for breach of contract and liquidated damages.
8NEWS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Fuel dealer’s murder
Verdict looms for “Yankee”
State Prosecutors ecution and defence. Trial Tuanna Hardy and Judge Navindra Singh will Tyra Bakker will re- sum up the evidence on call their final witness in the Wednesday before putting trial of Curt Thomas, called the case to the jury for delib“Yankee”, who is accused eration on a verdict. of the April 30, 2016 mur- According to the indictder of Parika, East Bank ment against Thomas, on Essequibo (EBE) fuel dealer the day in question, he murSeeram Singh. dered Singh during the
On Monday, the final wit- course/furtherance of a robness, Rajmohan Autar faced bery. The Prosecutors are intense cross-examination contending that Thomas by Thomas’s Attorney. killed Singh while robbing
The witness was unable him of jewellery. Based on to continue his testimony on reports, Singh, 52, of Lot 40 Monday owing to difficulties Parika Outfall, was stabbed with the connection at the Murdered: Seeram Singh to his abdomen and shot Murder accused: Curt Thomas Lusignan prison from where Thomas was appearing virwitness stand this morning. This will be followed by clostwice – to his head and hip. The bullet to his head was been the fatal shot. tually. He will return to the ing addresses from the pros- at close range and may have TURN TO PAGE 13
Opening up...
...Guyana
Well, here we go!! Guyanese better brace themselves... ‘cause it looks like our new President and his administration are ready to open up Guyana so fast -- we might just become jet lagged!! We already were told that the East Coast-East Bank bypass highway, which had been initiated by the previous PPP Government is going ahead – after the PNC sat on it for five years.
The word “sat” was used advisedly since they saw the highway – which was sorely needed to ease the congestion into Georgetown – as a nest egg to fill the pockets of their friends and family! Imagine President Donald Ramotar had secured US$50M from India for the road, but the PNC increased that price tag to US$175M – just so that there’d be more land next to the highway that their friends and family could buy up lands at insider prices and sell for millions of US!! It didn’t take the new Government long to reverse that scam! They simply brought back the original design and lopped off US$125M to back the price to US$50M. It’s already allocated and so expect the new highway in a couple of years!
And expect also that all those folks who’re fighting to squat on GuySuCo’s land – and holding up the drive to bring back sugar as a viable industry – to have more land available for housing than they can ever imagine. The PNC won’t have the house lots issue to stir up trouble any longer, though! But don’t worry, they’ll find something else...or more likely, invent something else to divide our people!
The PNC had also sat on the plans for completing the Highway from Linden to Lethem...for the same reasons – unjust enrichment. Just check the news in the same timeframe that they were trying to rig the elections and you’ll see who got land at “Millie’s Hideout”!! But on the other hand, look how open President Ali was two days ago when he announced that his Administration will be constructing a four-lane highway on the West Coast Demerara connecting the new DHB from La Grange all the way to Parika!
He didn’t futz around about the route – in fact he and his work team scouted the terrain and promised to have it graded WITHIN TWO MONTHS!! Now this will be a twelvemile Highway opening up vast swathes of land for all sorts of development and housing. Not to mention employment and a shot in the arm for the construction industry!
The PPP is making its development plans transparent so that all Guyanese have an equal opportunity of participating in the coming boom.
As they say, “a rising tide lifts all ships!!”
...the political space
Have you noticed that the PNC seems determined to make itself extinct?? Well, according to Darwin’s theory of evolution – which happens to also apply to institutions – if an organism doesn’t adapt to a changing environment, then it will soon get crushed by those that did. He called it “survival of the fittest”! So how do we apply the great man’s insight to the political milieu in dear old mudland?
Well, think about it. As some bright bulbs have been pointing it out ad nauseam -- the demographics in our voting population have irreversibly changed the political environment. No party can get into government unless they attract voters from across the political spectrum. Whether that spectrum is made up of class, colour, race, ethnicity, or gender or whatever. But with Harmon and Granger holding on to their old “brute force and ignorance” approach, it’s clear they don’t understand the new kinder and gentler way to win friends and influence people.
Is Volda gonna be the one to rise from the ashes?
...to a changed USA
OK, say what you want, but you gotta accept that Donald Trump has irretrievably altered the trajectory of American politics. And with it, world politics.
So, today as America goes to the polls, stay tuned as to what’s ahead.
2 more COVID-19 deaths, 30 new cases recorded
The COVID-19 death 771 in home isolation and return to planned surgertoll in Guyana has 23 in institutional quaran- ies for all of our hospitals, climbed yet again tine. There have been 3264 including the Georgetown to 128, after two more per- recoveries. Public Hospital.” sons succumbed to the One new case was de- Given the deferrals, the life-threatening viral dis- tected in Region Three Minister said there would be ease on Monday. (Essequibo Islands-West an extensive backlog. They
The Health Ministry an- Demerara); 25 in Region are trying to clear some of nounced the latest deaths Four; two in Region Five this build-up through colas those of a 74-year-old (Mahaica-Berbice) and two laboration with officials woman from Region Four in Region Six (East Berbice- and the Regional Health (Demerara-Mahaica) and Corentyne). Officers. a 57-year-old man from The cases in Regions One, “This is an ongoing proRegion One (Barima- Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), cess. We want to start this Waini). Both persons suc- Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), during November. Of course, cumbed while receiving care Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), we’ll take all the necessary at medical facilities, and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper precautions, so that people theirs were the first deaths Essequibo) and 10 (Upper can come to the hospital, to be recorded for the month Demerara-Berbice) remains get their surgery, recover, of November. at 720, 80, 377, 138, 376, and go home,” the Minister
Meanwhile, the country and 144 respectively. stressed. also saw an increase of 30 In Region Two, there new cases, increasing the Deferred surgeries were some setbacks with retotal positive cases to 4238. Health Minister, Dr spect to adequate supplies To date, 2239 males and Frank Anthony led a team to of medicine. Since an emer1999 females have contract- Region Two a few days ago, gency supply was procured ed COVID-19 locally. during which the Suddie by Government, a number of
There are nine persons and Charity Hospitals were medications will be sent out in the Intensive Care Unit inspected. In the daily up- ing the challenges in the “We want to know what “We would like to return to satisfy the demand. (ICU) while 66 persons are date, he said this was part of region and where support is going on in the regions? our health services to some “We intend to stabilise in institutional isolation, the process of understand- could be bolstered. What are the challenges level of normalcy. If it was the process so that they health workers face? The restricted before, we now would have adequate supchallenges they have with the health infrastructure, supplies, and so forth.”1 dead, 1 injured in have to be able to provide such service. It is not only at the outpatient clinics, plies on a continuous basis. This is something we’re trying to fix. In addition to He related that many surgeries have been deferred across the various re-motorcycle accident but also people who would need hospitalisation,” the Minister outlined. that, ARV (Anti-retroviral) drugs were short. We’ve now gotten supplies, so I was One man is dead while another is seriously injured following an accident on Little Diamond Public Road, gions since March, owing to the pandemic. They are now trying to bring the healthHe added, “Many of the planned surgeries were deferred since March in severpleased to learn that they’ve already collected their supplies. We’re now trying to East Bank Demerara (EBD), in the wee care system to normalcy, by al of the regional hospitals, rectify some of the challenghours of Monday. The dead man has been devising a plan to conduct so we are working on a plan es that we’ve had in the sysidentified as 24-year-old Joshua Persaud of these surgeries. so during this month, we can tem,” Dr Anthony shared. Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD.
Devendra Partab, 27, of Avenue A Diamond New Housing Scheme, EBD, remains a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
At the time of the accident, the motorcycle was driven by Persaud while Partab was the pillion rider. However, as they were proceeding along the Little Diamond Dead: Marlon Fiedtkou Public Road at a fast rate of speed, Persaud Georgetown, was killed after he lost control reportedly lost control of the motorcycle of his Suzuki CBR motorcycle and crashed and crashed. in the vicinity of DSL, Diamond, EBD.
Both young men sustained injuries He was reportedly heading to about their bodies and were picked up by Georgetown with a crew of other bikers. the police and taken to the Accident and It was reported that the motorcycle topEmergency Unit (A&E) where they were pled and skidded before coming to a halt. seen and examined by a doctor who pro- Fiedtkou was reportedly pitched off the monounced Persaud dead on arrival. torcycle and landed on the concrete pave-
The pillion rider was admitted to the ment. medical facility and his condition is being He was picked up in a serious condimonitored. Police are yet to take state- tion and rushed to the St Joseph Mercy ments from Partab. Hospital where he succumbed while wait-
In mid-October, 40-year-old Marlon ing to be transferred to the Georgetown Fiedtkou of Delph Street, Campbellville, Public Hospital.
