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In what is arguably the most unprecedented and uncouth presidential behaviour seen in Guyana’s politics, President Irfaan Ali hauled cabinet members, contractors, permanent secretaries, and engineers before him at the State House on Tuesday morning to address significant delays in government projects.
During the live meeting, conveyed at 5:00 a.m., the president, in usual abrasive style, berated his ministers, contractors and public servant staff for incomplete projects that has much to do with a shoddy and politically compromised system of accountability facilitated by the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
In what was evidently a tense environment, and not taking responsibility for the sordid state of affairs, the Head of Government, told participants there is “absolutely no excuse” for delays in projection completion.
The meeting revealed that some delays stemmed from external factors, such as inaccessible project sites.
Some contractors, particularly in Region Three, stated they had not received their project commencement letters, a requirement before starting any project. This highlighted government’s administrative failure, but not to be outdone the president expressed dissatisfaction with both the contractors and project engineers for what he deemed ‘a lack of focus and energy.’
He said, “There are certain basic things necessary in conditioning your minds to be successful…the first thing is positivity, what time of energy you demonstrate,” while ignoring the importance of administrative compliance.
One commentator, reacting to the president’s action, told this publication calling a meeting like that is not a solution; it’s a distraction. According to the commentator, if the systems and personnel were effective, there would be no need for a meeting of this nature. What we saw was theater, not governance.”
Blacklisting
The president has threatened to blacklist contractors who have not met deadline. According to him it is not only the duty of the ministry’s project engineers to manage deadlines; contractors must also ensure they are managing deadlines with their staff.
He told contractors if they have projects to be completed they should finish them before bidding again because they will find themselves “not being able to bid because [they] will be blacklisted.”
He went on to say, “all of the projects that have not been completed before the end of the year will be terminated.”
Pointing to the necessity of completing projects by the end of the current budget cycle, he warned noncompliance would place a burden on the 2025 Budget
“Everything has an implication, your slothfulness and inability to complete your project has a fiscal implication,” he said.
Since assuming office in 2020, the government has invested billions of dollars in large-scale infrastructure projects, alongside urgent community initiatives. Much of these works have been shoddy, left undone or seen the recruitment of new contractors to complete unfinished work.
Some cases are the construction of Cemetery Road Project in Georgetown and Conversation Tree Road Project on the East Coast Demerara and the Government Office Complexes in Georgetown.
Untrue statements
Meanwhile, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Regional Development Ganesh Mahipaul has blasted the government for seeking to escape taking responsibility for incomplete projects. In a statement, the Member of Parliament said President Ali’s recent claim that only one project under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development was delayed by four months or more is inaccurate.
According to Mahipaul there are numerous long-delayed projects which he said is systemic and problematic. He pointed to:
- Mon Repos and Skeldon Markets – Budgeted since 2020 but remain incomplete with no clear explanation for the prolonged delays.
- Parika and Charity Markets – Funded in the 2021 budget, but remain incomplete, stretching three years beyond the initial timeline.
- Landfill Upgrades of 2022– Projects aimed at landfill improvements, including the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill, which are still unfinished, raising environmental concerns.
- Port Mourant Secondary School –a project under the ministry that remains incomplete
The MP said the situation raises serious concerns about the role of responsible ministers, as he calls for transparency and accountability in the system.
