Home Letters Bulkan’s advisor hijacking regional procurement system
Dear Editor,
The situation in Region Six is being worsened daily as the APNU/AFC coalition Government continues to destroy the lives of thousands of Berbicians.
Since this region is the heartbeat of the PPP/C, the APNU/AFC coalition Government’s agenda is to ensure that the PPP supporters feel the brunt of the punishments in every aspect of life. The present flooding situation in Black Bush Polder is because of the incompetence of the Minister of Agriculture and NDIA.
Since the debate of the 2019 budget, the Regional MP Zulfikar Mustapha and the RDC enquired about the maintenance of these canals from Ministers Noel Holder and Ronald Bulkan but was told that the RDC would continue to do the maintenance. Unfortunately, the NDIA still went ahead and awarded the contracts for the canals and refused to send a circular of Cabinet’s decision.
This dictatorial approach is a clear indication of the hypocritical attitudes of the entire APNU/AFC Government since President David Granger, who at the National Congress of Local Democratic Organs in July 2018, said that RDCs and NDCs were bound by the Constitution to provide certain services, which include drainage and irrigation.
The President is a total disappointment in the management of the Cabinet and his Government must be held responsible for everything that is allowed to destroy the lives of Guyanese.
The Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, continues to undermine the Regional Democratic Council of Region Six by appointing a “political hack” in the position of Advisor to the Minister to manipulate the RDC. This political appointee is being used by Bulkan in his capacity to undermine the regional engineer, the Regional Executive Officer, the Regional Tender Board, and even the position of the Regional Chairman, in order to ensure the regional system benefits PNC contractors and activists.
This doesn’t stop here, the advisors to Ministers’ office is used to give PNC contractors and activists the contract documents to do selective bidding and as such, manipulate the procurement process.
This dictatorial approach is undermining the system and contractors who cannot do certain jobs are still receiving them because they are APNU/AFC coalition Government activists.
The Regional Executive Officer is the Chairperson of the Regional Tender Board and must not allow the Ministers’ advisors to manipulate the procurement system in the region. This situation is a clear case of organised corruption by the APNU/AFC coalition Government and must not be tolerated in Region Six.
Regards,
Zamal Hussain