Dear Editor,
On the morning of Tuesday, November 13, 2024, just after my devotion at approximately 05:45hrs, I decided to check in with my phone and read a posting by Big Smith News Watch, ‘President Irfaan Ali this morning called a 5:30 meeting with Government Ministers, their Permanent Secretaries, their Engineers and Contractors at State House, his official residence in Georgetown.’ The article further stated, ‘The president called the meeting to receive updates on major projects which are beyond four months behind schedule.’
I decided to review the recording, carried live on the social media platform of Mr. Ali. At first, I thought professionals were attending high school and for some reasons they were called before the principal, in the presence of their respective head teachers to be disciplined for misdemeanours. Mr. Ali’s actions towards professionals were distasteful and obnoxious. Not only were professionals across ministries spoken down to; Ministers came in for their fair share.
Editor, while I have no objection with Mr. Ali engaging professionals and contractors; I believe his actions could have been done in a mature way. I guess his exhortation at the meeting was to prove to the world that, ‘I am in control.’ Why were professionals forced from their homes for a 5.30 am meeting? What consideration was given to many of the professionals, who are single parents and would usually have to prepare children for school? Couldn’t the meeting be convened during regular working hours? What was the show about?
Editor, I turn my attention to the reasons for the meeting, as published by ‘Big Smith News Watch.’ That is, to get an update why projects are four months behind. This I found interesting, since they are hundreds of projects lagging behind for more than four months. Mr. Ali should know when contracts are given to friends, family, favourites and flatters without adhering to laws and governance standards, this is what the results would look like. So, please do not cast all aspersions at the feet of the professionals in the Ministry. Do not play the game blame, Mr. Ali!
Mr. Ali had before him lists for all Ministries and he recognized them individually, requested of the Minister(s), Permanent Secretaries, Engineers for Projects, technical staff and contractors to stand. Just after the Ministry of Housing and Water, the Ministry of Public Works representatives, etc were asked to stand, while Mr. Ali called on contractors to stand, as their names were announced. What was surprising, the name ‘Caribbean Green Building Inc.,’ was not called from the list. Editor, just Monday, November 11, 2024, your publication, published another letter from me on the ‘mysterious 12-storey Government Office Complex,’ for which the sum of $7.6b was approved by the National Assembly, with little or no movement on the project site concerning this project.
I am convinced that something is amiss with this project. I guess, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Vladim Persaud and his Technical Staff were tasked with compiling the list of Contractors with existing and ongoing projects through the Ministry of Public Works. Was this deliberate not to have ‘Caribbean Green Building Inc’ listed amongst the other Contractors?
Editor, I conclude by publicly requesting Bishop Edghill, to provide to the nation information on the following questions: why wasn’t Caribbean Green Building Inc on the list? Where is the $7.6b being spent? Where is the office of Caribbean Green Building Inc, be located? and who are the principals of Caribbean Green Building Inc.? As stated in previous letters, it is time Bishop Juan Edghill comes clean on this mystery project.
Yours sincerely,
Annette Ferguson, MP