Ganga: Bobol in NHA

Caroni East MP, Ganga Singh, accused the leadership of the NHA of raping the public purse through distorting the tender process to award contracts to clear authority lands at Carlsen Field. He was moving a motion on the adjournment of the House of Representatives on Friday. He said the NHA had received bids that ranged from $450,000 to $1.64 million. Remarkably, said Singh, the NHA had awarded the contract to the most costly bidder, Mr Heron Lewis.

Moreso Lewis had later claimed an increased in cost up to $1.875 million. Further, said Singh, Lewis had not signed a letter of intent required before the award of the contract, yet had already begun work on site. Singh said: “It is clear this transaction demonstrates the psychology of the NHA under Noel Garcia — the obscene disregard for tender rules”. Singh warned that this case could be just the tip of the iceberg as the Government would be spending $3 billion on housing over the next two or three years. He added: “Noel Garcia has shown in the callous demolition of squatter homes that he is accountable to no-one.”
Minister of Housing, Dr Keith Rowley, said there seemed to be some misunderstanding over the award of the contract. He said some bidders had apparently not been aware whether the bid was for one or two pieces of work  ie  the clearing of the grounds and then the removal of the material to off-site. “There seemed to be confusion,” he said. Rowley concluded that the NHA had told him that its Board had approved the award of contracts, but admitted that if it is found that the Board had not followed tender procedures then that would constitute a breach which he would then address.