Captain Gouveia was not a member of Privatization Board

Dear Editor,
Roraima Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, Capt Gerry Gouveia, and the company as a whole, note with interest two articles published in sections of the media. One, published on Tuesday, June 20, was headlined “Controversial sale of Duke Street annexe to Gouveia…No evidence that Board member Gouveia recused himself from transaction”; and the other, published on Wednesday, June 21, was headlined “Questionable transactions by privatization unit….Gouveia gets two state properties during his first year as Director”.
Both articles contain profound inaccuracies and innuendos. With respect to the conflict of interest assertion contained in these articles, we firmly state the following:
1. Captain Gouveia was not a member of the Privatization Board during the period covering the transactions associated with the purchase of the property located at 94 Duke Street, housing what is now the Roraima Duke Lodge.
2. It is also important to state that there were nine other bidders, and Roraima Airways’ bid was the highest.
3. The bids were opened in the presence of all of the other bidders and officials of the Accountant General’s Office.
4. Capt. Gouveia himself was never present, nor was he part of any discussion with the  Board of the Privatization Unit during any of the proceedings  associated with the sale of the Lot 93 Duke Street, Kingston property.
5. The processes associated with the sale of the aforementioned properties were certainly not handled expeditiously. In fact, it took approximately two years in the first instance, and one year in the second instance, to fully conclude the transactions.
6. Roraima Airways won the public bid/tender for the second building on the merit of its business plan proposal and the final price that was paid of G,000,000 plus VAT ofG,000,000.
Approximately one decade after the properties were acquired, both buildings have been renovated, and today house hotel rooms, conference facilities, a restaurant and bar, and other facilities which contribute to enhancing Guyana’s tourism product.
Most importantly, the two buildings, which today make up Duke Lodge, account for some 100 direct jobs and hundreds more indirect jobs which have been created on the basis of fair hiring practices and without any regard to race, gender, religion or political affiliation.
Today, the integrated services of the Roraima Group of Companies account for almost 300 direct jobs.
The Roraima Group of Companies remains committed to contributing to the development of Guyana and to maintaining its track record of being among the best corporate citizens of Guyana.

Regards,
Roraima Group of
Companies