Bids opened for works on National Intelligence Agency building

…5 firms vying for contract

Several companies are vying for works to be done on the building housing the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), which is currently operating at a location along Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.
Based on the tender for the bids that were opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) last week, the construction works will see the ground floor of the current NISA-housed building being enclosed.
Among the bidders competing for this project are R Bassoo and Son Construction, C&L Construction Incorporated, M&P Investment Incorporated, Vas Global and Architect Design and Construction. With an engineer’s estimate of $28.2 million, only one company – M&P Investment, had a bid below the estimate.
In April of this year, President Dr Irfaan Ali had instructed that the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Bill that was tabled in the National Assembly that very week be sent to a parliamentary Special Select Committee in order to get feedback from stakeholders.
He had explained that this was to ensure the wants the views and ideas of all stakeholders on this proposed legislation are examined. While there had been some controversy over the establishment of NISA, President Ali had explained that the agency had been in existence for over a decade.
At the time of its establishment in 2010, under the Bharrat Jagdeo Administration, the agency was named the Central Intelligence Unit (CIU), and there were calls then for there to be legislation to govern this body.
However, in 2015, under the David Granger presidency, this unit was integrated into the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) established by the then A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, again, without the relevant laws to govern the functioning of this body.
Up to recently, NISA was headed by then Colonel Omar Khan of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). He took over the helm of the agency from Colonel Bruce Lovell, who resigned shortly after the change of Government in 2020.
However, President Ali had hinted that the agency will soon get a new Head since the now Brigadier Khan has been appointed Chief of Staff of the GDF, taking over from the former Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess.
The NISA Bill provides for the creation of an Intelligence Agency that will, among other things, protect Guyana against espionage, terrorism, and sabotage. The agency will also protect against agents within or outside of Guyana, as well as against foreign powers seeking to undermine the State. There is also scope for the agency to collaborate with other foreign agencies in the interest of national security.
The Bill spells out the agency’s functions, which include to “collect information of national intelligence and security interest that provides a basis for decision making and preventative actions; gather, store, process, analyse and disseminate information that is relevant to national intelligence and security; conduct analysis of information of national interest and security interest.”
Additionally, the agency’s functions are to “maintain a national database of information of national intelligence and security; conduct relevant research to enhance efficiency in information management and all matters relating to national intelligence and security; provide national intelligence estimates and intelligence and security advice to the President… provide support to investigations of matters pertaining to threats to national intelligence and security.”
Additionally, the proposed legislations also provide for the President to appoint the Head of NISA. It also caters to the establishment of an Intelligence and Security Committee, which will have oversight over the conduct of NISA.
This committee will have three members appointed by the President. These include a nominee from the President, a nominee from the Opposition Leader after consulting with other Opposition parties in the National Assembly, and a nominee from civil society. (G3)