Berbice Contractors Accuse Government of Political Persecution; a “Friends, Family & Favorites” Affair

by Staff Reporter
Contractors in the County of Berbice, Guyana, have once again cited political persecution as the reason for their inability to secure government contracts. Several contractors spoke to Village Voice News, accusing the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government of stifling those Guyanese citizens perceived not to support the PPP.

One contractor claimed that frequently, contracts up for tender are consistently awarded only to known supporters of the government. Another contractor alleged that family members who are government supporters indicated that engineer estimates for contracts are given to government-supporting contractors, enabling them to win bids continuously.

The contractors expressed hesitation to reveal their names or the specific projects they bid on, fearing they might be stigmatized or blacklisted. Despite these fears, they remain hopeful they might still qualify for future contracts.

These allegations were brought to light during the visit of a delegation from the United States on a fact-finding mission, which included a senator, state representatives, education officials, and business owners. When questioned about how they determined that contract recipients were PPP/C supporters, one audience member explained that they were PPP/C councilors, accusing the government of discriminatory practices mixed with party affiliation. She claimed that shifting allegiance to the PPP/C could result in being awarded small contracts.

An Indian-Guyanese audience member added, “Let not the African Guyanese feel that they alone are being sidelined by the PPP, because East Indians who support the APNU are also being sidelined.” He emphasized that the majority of people in Region Six are East Indians and urged, “Y’all need to get out of New Amsterdam and see what’s going on in other parts of Region Six.” According to him, even those who supported the PPP/C are now being side-lined because the party prioritizes friends, family, and favorites.