Dear Editor,
My attention was drawn to a letter published in the letters column of Stabroek News, dated November 15, 2024, captioned, “I take exception to certain aspects of MP Ferguson’s letter,” by one Mr. Jonathan Subrian, Esq. I am forced to rebut Mr. Subrian, since his assertions pointed to full support of Mr. Ali’s action, last Tuesday, November 13, 2024. Kindly forgive me for the lengthened response, since I am compelled to offer a response and not allow Mr. Subrian to escape from the FACTS.
In my view, Mr. Subrian’s attempt to cover the failures of Ali, is one I considered to be disingenuous! While he focused on a few salient points in my edit, he deliberately failed to acknowledge my agreement to Mr. Ali meeting with professionals, et al. Mr. Subrian should be reminded that my contention was on Mr. Ali’s demeanor towards his Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, who were all appointed by him, professionals, consultants and contractors. Mr. Subrian should know also that my view has not changed and will not, since many right-thinking Guyanese have criticized and repudiated the behavior of Mr. Ali, as President. History will remind us of Presidents, who preceded Mr. Ali. Not one, including Mr. Jagdeo; never brought the office of the Presidency in disrepute, or degenerated it into facetiousness.
Let me state for the record and at the same time put Mr. Subrian’s anxiety at ease. The comments carried in my letter have nothing to do with sensationalism, or ‘propagandising’ as he described. If Mr. Subrian missed it! It is surely no fault of mine. My letter was merely highlighting Mr. Ali lacks both professionalism and leadership; and has exposed the values associated with his socialisation and upbringing.
Editor, I sympathise with Mr. Subrian for his lack of knowledge not knowing that I am an advocate for ‘integrity, decency, honesty, good governance, accountability and transparency.’ In his letter he stated that ‘accountability and transparency’ are lacking amongst these professionals, hence, the call for the 05:30 hrs meeting. Has Mr. Subrian given any thoughts what has occasioned our country to be in the state it is today, and why he or others are of the assumption that these professionals are ‘unaccountable and non-transparent?’ The simple answer is because the PPPC and their handpicked party faithful have hijacked and corrupted the entire procurement system; and now it has backed fire, they are attempting to use the professionals as “scapegoats.” The meeting was not to identify problems and find reasonable and collective solutions in addressing the pitfalls or risks affecting the smooth implementation of projects.
In his fourth paragraph, Mr. Subrian has accused ‘the upper echelon public sector employees are paid fat salaries…’ Again, it is clear that Mr. Subrian is either pretending not to know or knows very well what is happening in the Public Sector. Editor, is Mr. Subrian aware that it is under the PPPc regime pre-May 2015 that caused the debilitating within the Public Sector, where they ensured that hiring of ‘Contracted Employees’ became a norm in the sector, where party faithfuls were hired on contract and paid ‘super salaries or fat-cats salaries,’ while the hard-working professional Public Servants were paid ‘peanuts and chicken feed salaries.’
Is Mr. Subrian aware that when the Coalition Government took office in May 2015, qualified Engineers at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure with Degrees and Masters, were receiving salaries under two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) monthly? It was the Coalition Government that reviewed and adjusted salaries in categories, so as to retain the services of these professionals, who were attracted to lucrative jobs in the Private Sector.
Mr. Subrian, if you have no clue of Guyana’s procurement system, you need to research before proffering baseless and unsubstantiated arguments. Let me briefly summarize for your understanding and edification. When projects are conceptualised in keeping with Government’s agenda, monies are appropriated by the National Assembly, projects are tendered out, with specific criteria, then evaluated by engineers across ministries, approved by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board; then awards are made to contractors. Commencement Orders are issued, after secured bonds, projects are implemented, and engineers are assigned to oversee projects.
However, what is currently happening since the PPP/C returned to government in August 2020, there perceived to be willful actions by Ministers (allegedly)to flout the entire procurement system, to ensure friends, families, favourites and flatters benefits from the treasury. The Engineers are not allowed to conduct their duties without fear of political influence and intimidation. While they are those who may resist, as a result of their principles; they are those who would act, just to secure their jobs. This can only be possible, since the Union to represent workers rights have become extremely comatose in this volatile environment, under a PPP/C authoritarian approach.
Editor, whilst reading and analysing Mr. Subrian’s letter, I found myself processing several questions in mind, which I will now put to him. Did he hear what the young woman, who was awarded a contract some months ago, way behind, stood and boldly said, ‘she is now mobilising machines for the project site…’ what that suggested to me, is that this female contractor never built a road, received an award; perhaps without fulfilling the requisite criteria set out in the tender document, collected millions of taxpayers money (as mobilization) to build the road. I would like to see and read Mr. Subrian’s reaction to such situation. Additionally, is he aware that they were many like her in attendance?
I get the impression that Mr. Subrian may be Guyanese, but has been living out of Guyana for close to three decades, and has no iota of how the People’s Progressive Party Civic, enjoying accumulatively twenty-seven years (27) years, three (3) months in office. Have these words ‘Corruption and Nepotism’ new to him, or they have eluded his mind? Therefore, he is encouraged to do extensive research on the PPP/C, from 1992-2015 and from 2020-2024. It is necessary and timely that Mr. Subrian be reminded that for twenty-three years, the PPP/C failed to constitute the ‘Public Procurement Commission,’ as enshrined in article 212W of the Constitution. This was deliberate since they were against scrutiny and transparency.
Do you know who made it possible Mr. Subrian? It was the Coalition Government. Mr. Subrian, what about the reports by Transparency Guyana? You should familiarise yourself with the findings contained in those reports and how Guyana once ranked, pre-May 2015.
Editor, is Mr. Subrian naive to the following, Guyanese are still waiting for accountability and transparency on the $25,000.00 COVID-19 cash grant, where it is alleged that many aligned to the PPPc converted TAXPAYERS monies to their personal use and enriched themselves, while thousands of Guyanese are still holding the famous ‘pink slips’ in their possessions. Mr. Subrian, what about the allegations leveled against former Directors on GUYOIL Board, Mr. Akani Blair and Persaud, who were alleged to have breached procurement systems? Rather than holding them accountable, they were removed.
I did not see Mr. Subrian’s response to the Opposition and civil society outbursts on the handling of the unaccounted US$214M; on the cost recovery audit. Mr. Ali did not call a meeting at 05:30hrs to express his disgust against Minister Vickram Bharrat and the fingered or responsible professional in the Ministry of Natural Resources. The nation was told he was fined a day’s pay from his salary.
Where was Mr. Subrian’s voice on the Bharrat Jagdeo-Sue Gate alleged scandal, revealed by renowned Journalist, Mis. Isobella Young from Vice News? Where was Mr. Subrian’s voice on Former Permanent Secretary, Mae Toussaint’s, who was questioned by US officials? Mr. Ali did not reprimanded her publicly, but she was reassigned to another Ministry as Permanent Secretary. With all the allegations leveled against high ranking officers in the Guyana Police Force, where is the voice of Mr. Subrian on corruption, accountability and transparency? Here again, did Mr. Ali handle these matters the way he did with professionals within the Public Sector on the fateful morning of Tuesday, November 13, 2024.
My final question to Mr. Subrian is whether he is aware of a $7.6B of taxpayers money paid to a seemingly Ghost Contracting Company, ‘Caribbean Green Building Inc.’ for the construction of a twelve storey building to accommodate an office complex? What I would recommend to Mr. Subrian if he has intentions in responding to me; if he feels compelled, he should solicit a response from Minister Bishop Juan Edghill on this mystery project and why wasn’t the company part of the name and shame parade hosted by Mr. Ali. At this stage, both Minister Edghill and his Permanently Secretary, Mr. Valdim Persaud, should be called to account for taxpayers money. Mr. Persaud is the accounting officer, who approved payment.
Editor, as I prepare to conclude; it was interesting to read the penultimate paragraph of Mr. Subrian’s letter, where he stated monies paid to myself, contractors, etc are from the Public Purse. While this is the case, and all monies should be accounted, it appears that Mr. Subrian is either wearing ‘blinders,’ or he at the time of writing may have encountered some health challenges with his sight. Is he aware that notably absent from the rushed out 05:30hrs meeting were the likes of ‘Tepui Contracting Company,’ whose principal is Mr. Mikhail Rodrigues, principals of VAL contracting company and Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal and Scrap Metal Inc. While their names were called, no one came forward, but Mr. Ali, just brushed aside and proceeded accordingly.
Mr. Subrian, take comfort in knowing that I am always focused and will continue to be resolute, steadfast, and resilient. While the PPP/C modus operandi is to maintain dominance and suppress information, so as to perish our people, because they lack knowledge; as recorded in the book of Hosea 4:6. Therefore, there is no need for your plea. I trust with the facts presented herein Mr. Subrian’s will do a self-introspection.
Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson, MP
