HGP Nightly News – Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul has dismissed President Irfaan Ali’s latest warning on procurement breaches as hollow political rhetoric, arguing that the government has repeatedly failed to hold officials accountable despite serious concerns over major public contracts.
Mahipaul’s criticism follows recent remarks by President Ali that breaches in financial and procurement procedures could lead to severe consequences, including removal from office. But the opposition MP said the President’s words ring hollow when measured against the government’s record on controversial contracts and incomplete public works.
In a strongly worded statement, Mahipaul pointed to the Belle Vue Pump Station contract, which was awarded to Tepui Group Inc., as one of the clearest examples of what he described as a broken procurement system.
The Public Procurement Commission had examined the award of the $865 million Belle Vue contract and found several issues with the process. Stabroek News reported that Tepui had admitted it did not have the required experience but still received the project, while the PPC recommended that evaluators strictly follow tender evaluation criteria.
Kaieteur News also reported that the investigation found several breaches in the award, including concerns over bid security, construction experience, similar project experience, financial capacity, audited statements, and evidence of equipment ownership.
Mahipaul said that despite those findings, no official has been publicly disciplined, dismissed, or prosecuted. He argued that residents in Belle Vue and nearby communities are the ones left to suffer because of an incomplete and mismanaged project.
The opposition MP also cited the Goed Fortuin Pump Station project, claiming that the contract was not awarded to the lowest most responsive bidder and that the project has passed through three contractors while remaining incomplete. Kaieteur News reported Mahipaul’s allegation that the Goed Fortuin contract bypassed the lowest responsive bidder and remains unfinished.
Mahipaul said the situation reflects a wider pattern of procurement abuse, particularly at the regional and ministerial levels. He claimed that the three-quote procurement method is being misused by some Regional Executive Officers and Permanent Secretaries, while contractors are afraid to speak publicly because of fear of victimisation.
He also alleged that in Region Three, concerns persist about connections between public officials and companies benefiting from contracts in the health delivery sector. Those claims have not been independently proven in the material reviewed, but Mahipaul said they require serious investigation rather than public relations statements.
The opposition MP further argued that Guyana’s oversight system is weakened by the absence of a functioning Public Accounts Committee and what he described as limited scrutiny from Parliament and international stakeholders.
According to Mahipaul, the issue is not simply about poor project delivery, but about whether the law is being applied equally. He said Guyanese citizens deserve more than speeches about integrity while procurement controversies remain unresolved.
The government has maintained that it is committed to transparency, fiscal discipline, and improved service delivery. President Ali has also said public officers must treat public office as a sacred trust and ensure that every dollar spent benefits citizens and supports national development.
But Mahipaul said the real test is whether the government is prepared to investigate procurement breaches, discipline responsible officials, and ensure that the same standards are applied across all levels of government.
For him, the unresolved questions around Belle Vue, Goed Fortuin, regional contracts, and ministerial oversight show that the President’s anti-corruption message will remain unconvincing unless it is followed by visible consequences.
