Dear Editor,
The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) award of a $346 million contract to a local entity totally inexperienced in construction reveals the state of this country. Meaning, the operation of the minds of Guyana’s political leaders, and those in our institutions that ensure compliance with their dictates. It is pointless to create a stink about this, because tomorrow, there will be another outcome either at NPTAB or from some other agency or person of the state. It will confirm the essence of what I present today; possibly something more outrageous. I memorialize this coldly and clinically, but it should not mask the utter meaningless of most, if not all, of our state apparatus.
For starters, I congratulate the winners of the $346 million Bamia school contract on their good fortune, the power and fidelity of their political friends. Second, I thank the spokesperson for being truthful, which went something like this: we have not built anything, but we can manage money. In my own words, they build legacies. And now I go where this must, and leave the rest to observers, as to what we have for checks and balances, what we have for policies and procedures, and what we have for independence and integrity. The latter applies to anyone and anywhere that we desire to look, and to do so critically, but honestly.
For we have a ‘national tender board’ and this results. We have procuring entities and bodies, and I have arrived at this place: call off the charades, and do away with them. Officially. I say this because, whether tenderer or procurer, Guyanese have been accustomed to seeing numerous advertisements informing the public about this or that project in the millions, sometimes billions. The advertisements have a format, with detailed descriptions of job, requirements. They are called ‘Invitation to Bid’ or ‘Expression of Interest’, among a small tight string of helpful information. They speak of compulsory criteria, specifications, skills, track record and equipment necessary, as starting points. It is reluctantly accepted that the lowest bid does not determine the winner, and similarly that almost everything else is nonnegotiable, particularly track record and vital qualifications and skills of contractors bidding.
Now, when no experience in physically building (anything) is casually tossed out the window by NPTAB, I reach this place. NPTAB is not needed anymore. Criteria and standards mean nothing. The supposed search for and selection of so-called independent and principled Guyanese to oversee institutions like NPTAB, procurement boards, and procurement tribunals might as well be discarded into the dustbin forthwith. They are a joke. Other than for window dressing, as eye shadow and face foundation that runs and smears. We all look and are sorrier for it. Because then, anybody could say anything to justify their good fortune; and it stands, since that is the way things are today.
I proceed into other areas. Likewise, the Police Complaints Authority, the police itself and GECOM (and many others of like stature) are all subject to manipulating to perform like puppets dancing the jigs of ministers and leaders, should circumstances demand. What happened with the $346 million award was glaring. Instead of asking how much like this left to come, it is better to rephrase as: there must be many more like this waiting.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall
