PAC chair takes aim at $1.2B  tractor purchase for Guysuco

..also wants answer on disbursement of COVID-19 grants 

By Svetlana Marshall

Incoming Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) David Patterson signaled his intention to have the Audit Office of Guyana launch thorough investigations into the purchase of 44 tractors by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) at the cost of $1.2B; and the distribution of $25,000 COVID-19 relief cash grant.

Patterson, an A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament, made the announcement on Friday, during a news conference hosted by the AFC.
He also expressed disappointment that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir has not yet convened the first sitting of the PAC, as required by the Standing Orders.

Patterson, who has been nominated by the Opposition for the chairmanship, said once the first meeting of the PAC is convened, he would request that a ‘Value for Money’ Audit be conducted by the Office of the Auditor General into the purchase of 44 tractors at the cost of $1.2B by GuySuCo. The tractors are being single-sourced from a company in the USA.

“We want to know why and how was this company selected, what investigations GuySuCo would have done to ensure that these tractors are suitable for the soil and climate conditions in Guyana,” Patterson explained.
Pointing to the fact that the multimillion tractors are being purchased at a time when the sugar corporation is strapped for cash, Patterson said it is important to ensure that GuySuCo, gets value for money.

“We want to know what experience GuySuCo has in maintaining and operating tractors such as these,” he added.

He reminded that in past, GuySuCo had purchased a number of tractors from India, only to realise, on their arrival, that they could not have worked effectively in the fields.

Covid cash grant
Further, the incoming PAC Chair intends to have the Audit Office conduct an “Operation Audit” on the distribution of the $25,000 COVID-19 relief cash grant.

In announcing the budgetary measures in September, 2020, President Irfaan Ali had assured that each household will receive a $25,000 cash grant to cushion the impact of the pandemic but Patterson said the Opposition has been inundated with complaints that communities that are known to be in support of the APNU+AFC have been bypassed.

He said while the Auditor General’s 2020 Report, due September 2021, will address the financial aspect of the distribution exercise, the “operation audit” will determine whether or not the grants are being fairly and equitably distributed across the country.

“We received complaints that public servants seconded to the outlying regions have not been paid, so therefore, if a teacher, a nurse, a doctor, is seconded to a health centre in Mabaruma, they are being told that they are not from Mabaruma, even though their families are there, so they have not been paid,” Patterson explained. Large families, he said, are also being affected.

But while the incoming PAC chair has signaled his intention, he must await the Speaker to convene the first meeting.

Cognizant of the fact that the PAC is behind on its work by more than three years, having last met in August 2018, Patterson said he will enquire from the Speaker as to when will the first meeting be conducted.

“In accordance with our Standing Order, the Speaker must schedule the first meeting, this meeting is simply to elect the Chairman of the PAC. Thereafter it is the chairman’s responsibility to schedule and host meetings,” he explained.

The committee will be made up of four Opposition MPs and three Government MPs, with the chairman being a member of the Opposition. “I indicated to him, that if the Government side are too busy to attend PAC, there is nothing stopping him, from having the meeting, since the four opposition members would be a quorum and by our standing order the Chairman must come from the Opposition,” he said.

The Speaker had reportedly informed the Opposition Chief Whip, Christopher Jones the PAC meeting would be convened on Monday, November 30, 2020 but with no notice issued to date, Patterson said it is highly unlikely that the committee will meet come Monday.

Under the chairmanship of Irfaan Ali, the now president, the PAC met 44 times in five (5) years during the 11th Parliament.

It therefore means, the PAC, under the stewardship of its then Chairman, Irfaan Ali, met 44 times out of a possible 202 meeting days, a shortfall of 78%. Examination of the 2016 accounts have not been completed.