The Government’s November 11 announcement establishing an entity to crack down on corruption and wastage has drawn scrutiny in light of a controversial sole sourcing contract awarded to D. Sawh Mechanical Engineering. Observers are questioning how the government can claim to be serious about anti-corruption while allowing a company with a controversial track record to supply eleven pump engines for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) at a reported cost of G$133,400,000.
The NDIA (National Drainage and Irrigation Authority) is the agency responsible for drainage, irrigation, and flood control infrastructure, working under the Ministry of Agriculture to manage canals, pumps, and sluices to prevent flooding and boost farming productivity through cleaning, maintenance, and new construction projects.
A “Cabinet Note” labeled Secret (CP 2025), Copy No. 2025-11, captioned “Cabinet No-Objection,” shows the NDIA requesting sole sourcing of the engines from D. Sawh Mechanical Engineering of Bush Lot, Corentyne—a company that has received billions in government contracts since 2021. The firm has previously faced controversy over incomplete work on pump projects in Upper Corentyne and other areas in Berbice, with transparency and accountability reportedly absent in awarding these contracts.
Observers question the rationale behind selecting D. Sawh given he is not a manufacturer of pump engines, why is the company selected as a sole source. Why have other suppliers not been invited to supply the pump engines? Why is the request or demand for pump engines not tendered?
D. Sawh Mechanical Engineering, also known as D. Sawh Mechanical Workshop, was the contractor for the Adventure Pump Station along the Corentyne coast, a major drainage project intended to benefit over 6,000 acres of residential and farmland. The facility, equipped with high-capacity pumps to improve drainage in the Black Bush Polder and surrounding areas, was commissioned in 2024 under a contract awarded in 2021. However, coverage before completion indicated work had stalled for extended periods, with complaints from residents that the station remained non-operational despite more than 30 months passing since the contract was signed.
The note further claims D. Sawh is capable of supplying high-quality diesel pump engines—a claim contradicted by evidence showing the company operates from a modest Bush Lot location and is not a manufacturer. Other reputable suppliers, including MaCorp, Caterpillar, Farm Supplies, Doosan, Hyundai, and Swiss Machinery procured by Cummings Engines, could supply the engines with proper warranty and maintenance services.
Concerns also focus on the cost of the engines, reportedly almost double the price from the suppliers, and over G$750,000,000 in NDIA funds for 2025 that cannot be accounted for. The selection of D. Sawh Mechanical Engineering as a sole source raises several critical questions that require urgent attention and cancellation of this contract. The public needs to pay attention in this purchase.
In September 2025, President Irfaan Ali announced plans to establish a dedicated Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) to tackle graft in the public sector. The initiative aims to require officials to declare assets, hold both the corrupt and those who facilitate corruption accountable, and increase transparency through technology such as blockchain.
It also includes strengthening asset recovery and public education programmes. However, questions have been raised about the government’s commitment to these reforms, particularly in light of sole-sourcing contracts like the one involving D. Sawh Mechanical Engineering.
The decision to sole source these engines has intensified scrutiny over whether the government’s anti-corruption initiatives are being implemented in practice, or whether procedural and financial irregularities continue to undermine public trust in NDIA projects.
