Rejected for substandard road work
A Berbice contractor is accusing a Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) official of trying to solicit a bribe from him in order to pass a road contract. However, the Chairman of the Number 52-74 NDC Works Committee has since denied the allegation.
The contractor, Annirud Ramchaitar, of AR Construction firm, is accusing the NDC
Annirud Ramchaitar
Works Committee Chairman of asking for a $200,000 bribe. According to Ramcharitar, his firm was approached on three occasions by the Works Committee Chairman for the bribe which was to come from the $380,000 which the company was expected to receive from Government for sand on a road stretching three villages.
However, the NDC has reportedly written to the contractor claiming that the work carried out was of a substandard quality.
In the letter, the NDC claims that the contractor placed two canter loads of sand on the street and then covered it with ‘crusher run’. Making mention of the contract which says that 80 cubic yards of sand were to be used, the NDC says that the contractor did not use the 60 cubic yards that he is claiming.
The contractor is claiming that under the contract he is only to be paid for
measured work and based on the work he was required to do, he did not need all of the sand which was mentioned on the Bill of Quantities. He says this was discussed with the Regional Engineer prior to the commencement of the project and it was agreed that he will be paid only for what was used.
The contractor is contending that the NDC is now finding fault with him because he
did not pay the bribe. It was the company’s Foreman, Derrick Khublall, who said he was approached. “Thompson came up to me while we were working and he said he is the Works Committee Chairman and that lemme don’t put all the sand on that road that lemme give he $200,000. So me tell he me nah Anirudh and I call Anirudh on the spot and tell he,” Khublall related.
Ramcharitar told Guyana Times that after the Foreman contacted him, contact was made with the Regional Chairman and the Office of The Prime Minister at Port Mourant.
He explained that he was advised by the Regional Chairman to document his concerns in writing. That letter which was sent to the Regional Democratic Council, states that the works were done under the guidance of the Regional Engineer, Newland France. It also said the Works Committee Chairman demanded $200,000 and said that the contractor would not need to mix white sand and reef sand as the contract stipulated.
In an invited comment, the Chairman of the Number 52-74 NDC, David Thompson, in a telephone conversation said the allegations were “untrue”.
The NDC’s letter was sent to Communities Minister Ronald Bulkhan and Minister of State Joseph Harmon.
Ramcharitar also copied his letter to Prime Ministerial Regional Representative, Gobin Harbhajan, who visited the project on Tuesday.
“He called my office sometime last week and he highlighted to me that the Works Committee Chairman, David Thompson, had approached his foreman on site and demanded $200,000 to put less sand. I asked them to document it and send to the Regional Chairman and he told me that he is already sending an engineer to the site. I checked with the Regional Chairman and he said that the Engineer and Vice Chairman went and said the work is up to standard and then I received a letter yesterday from the NDC claiming the work was substandard,” Harbhajan related.
In an invited comment, Regional Chairman David Armogan said the contractor had informed him by way of a telephone call of the bribe request even before the NDC made the claim that the work was not up to standard. Regional Engineer and Regional Vice Chairman, Dennis DeRoop, who also heads the regional works programme was instructed to visit the site and check on the works.
The contract awarded to Ramcharitar was to the tune of $12.1 million.
Meanwhile, following the formal letter of complaint which was issued on Tuesday, an investigation has been launched into the bribery allegation. (Andrew Carmichael)
