By: Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The Vigilant Political Action Committee (V-PAC) has issued a formal demand to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, calling for the immediate release of all records related to public infrastructure contracts awarded since 2020. The committee argues that with hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars flowing through the ministry, the Guyanese public has a right to know exactly how their money is being distributed and who is evaluating the bids.
V-PAC Chairman Dorwain Bess stated that if the government is operating fairly, the Minister “should not have a problem” with such a basic request for transparency.
The Three Pillars of Disclosure
V-PAC’s demand centers on three critical areas of the procurement process that they claim remain shrouded in secrecy:
- The Bidders: A comprehensive list of every company that submitted a bid for public works.
- The Evaluators: The identities of the individuals on the evaluation committees who decided which companies were “qualified.”
- The Awardees: Detailed records of the final contracts, including the original design specifications and the final amounts paid.
Allegations of “Sidelining” and Overpayments
The committee’s statement raises serious red flags regarding the current state of the nation’s infrastructure, which has seen massive budgetary increases over the last four years.
- Qualified vs. Underqualified: V-PAC alleges that long-standing, qualified contractors are being systematically “sidelined” in favor of newer, underqualified companies that may lack the technical capacity for large-scale projects.
- The Extension Epidemic: The body is seeking clarity on why major projects—ranging from highway expansions to community bridges—continue to be granted multiple extensions well beyond their original deadlines.
- Substandard Work: Despite record spending, V-PAC contends that many communities are still left with “delayed, incomplete, or in some cases substandard infrastructure.”
A Call for a Procurement Overhaul
Citing two decades of Auditor General reports that have highlighted consistent breaches of procurement laws, V-PAC is urging the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to step in.
- NPTAB Under Scrutiny: The committee is calling for a full investigation into the practices and procedures of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
- Accountability: V-PAC maintains that no entity should be “above the law” and that the current “wait and watch” approach to procurement irregularities must end to prevent the further misuse of public funds.
Taxpayer Dollars, Public Oversight
As Guyana enters its most ambitious infrastructure phase in history, the push for transparency is becoming a central political flashpoint. For Dorwain Bess and the V-PAC, the issue is simple: the Ministry of Public Works is the custodian of the people’s money, not its owner. As the calls for disclosure grow louder, the pressure now shifts to Minister Edghill to decide whether the government will open its books or continue to manage its hundreds of billions in private.
