Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, last year, purchased several tractors and trailers for Amerindian Villages and Communities. The Auditor General, in his report, found that Cabinet granted its ‘No-objection’ to the purchase and delivery of the tractors in the sum of $446.880M. It must be made clear to the public that no competitive bidding was involved before the contract was signed and awarded. It was also noted in the Auditor General’s report, that the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs during the past year, had purchased a quantity of agricultural tools for distribution to various communities in the interior at a cost of some $27.1M. However, investigations had found that only a handful of the equipment that were purchased, had been distributed. Further, The Auditor General found that, while $12.052M was paid in December for the purchase of 15 outboard engines for hinterland communities, which were received since April 2021, six months later, a physical verification by the Auditor General revealed that all the outboard engines were still in boxes at the Ministry’s Stores. This is a waste of the taxpayers’ money by this government.
The Auditor General, in his report for government spending in 2020, also revealed that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) awarded a contract in the sum of US$9.500M on 14th December 2020, for the procurement of one Bell 412 EPI Aircraft, and US$500,000 as miscellaneous fees for the cost of fuel, ferrying etc. Again, there was no competitive bidding. Compounding the situation is that the government continues its reckless spending of the taxpayers’ money as if there is no tomorrow. Not only has the government borrowed more than it has earned, but it is also awarding contracts without competitive bidding and is purchasing equipment without approval from the procurement commission.
The truth is, the PPPC government is back to its pre-2015 arrogant, haughty, disdainful, and contemptuous behavior, which will not be tolerated by the youths of the country. The leaders of the PPP/C seem not to have learnt from their mistakes of the past that led to a minority government in 2011 and its defeat in 2015. Studies have shown that Guyana’s youths, who are 65 percent of the population, should not be taken for granted. They would not sit idly by and allow this government to jeopardize their future by its excessive and reckless borrowing and spending and its arrogance by the cabinet. They could vote the PPP out of office in 2025 as they did with APNU+AFC in 2020, because they believe that in all democracies undergoing such a plethora of pilfering and non-accountability, dismissals should have occurred together with criminal charges being instituted. But this will not happen under the PPP corrupt regime.
Sincerely,
Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine
