Documents from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Company and its Asphalt Plant show that two days before the birthday of former Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson in 2017, a total of $504,000 was approved for the purchase of a gold hand band and tie pin for him.
However, it is unclear if the then minister collected the items. This newspaper reached out to Patterson through calls and messages to no avail as all went unanswered although he had read the messages. Patterson is now the Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
A requisition to purchase the items, dated 2nd of May 2017 describes the items as a hand band (moveable) and a tie pin which had respective price tags of $424,400 and $78,300.