Managing Director of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) has threatened to sue Guyana Times should the publication not retract an article published on Thursday under the caption: ‘Adamantium Holdings bids for Government contracts.’
In that article, which represented the factual bid openings related to two projects;
Richard Van West-Charles
namely, the rehabilitation of two police stations, it was pointed out that Adamantium Holdings had submitted two bids.
Richard Van West-Charles has since secured the services of Attorney-at-Law Satram & Satram, which on Friday dispatched an official letter to Guyana Times demanding a retraction and an apology.
In the Guyana Times article, it was pointed out that the mining company Adamantium had been prominent in the news recently when it was discovered that both Adamantium and Atlantic Fuels Inc shared several close connections with Government officials.
The two companies also share the same Kingston, Georgetown address, with Atlantic Fuels Inc securing an import/wholesale licence for fuel to supply, in part, the mining operations.
Van West-Charles has since claimed that the statements in the article sought to
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convey to the general public that he is corrupt and has improperly influenced Government officials and public bodies for his own benefit and gain.
The article referred to does not speak to the award of any contracts, but rather highlights that the mining company did in fact submit bids for two contracts.
Van West-Charles has since distanced himself from the mining company, claiming to have never been an officer or official of Adamantium Holdings, and that Atlantic Fuels Inc was in fact incorporated as a company after Adamantium.
The GWI boss insists, however, that “the suggestion contained in the said article — that he is the beneficiary of corrupt transactions — was calculated to cause, and did in fact cause, him serious reputational injury; and imputed that he is corrupt, dishonest, unethical and engages in criminal conduct.
According to Van West-Charles lawyers, the publication is a part of a pattern of persistent attacks on his character, “all calculated to ruin his reputation (and) humiliate and expose him to contempt, hatred and ridicule by members of society in general.”
The GWI boss believes this position entitles him to aggravated or other damages, and has since called for Guyana Times to desist from publishing similar statements.
Guyana Times reiterates that the article was in fact captioned ‘Adamantium Holdings bids for Government contracts’, and focused on the bids submitted.
According to the substantive contents of the article, bids were opened on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), housed at the Finance Ministry.
Among the contracts advertised that attracted significant attention was the rehabilitation of the Alberttown Police Station, estimated to cost some $20.9 million.
Adamantium, with a bid of $20.5 million, is among the bidders for that project; while the lowest bidder came in at $17 million.
Adamantium Holdings was also among the featured bidders for the rehabilitation of the Sparendaam Police Station, estimated to cost some $14.9 million.
The lowest bidder came in at $11.8 million, with Adamantium Holdings Inc coming in at $15 million.
The company has, since 2015, become a regular feature across a number of industries outside of mining.
Other bids opened at the NPTAB on Tuesday related to rehabilitation of the Mahaicony Police Station.
Back in September 2015, the company had set its sights on rehabilitation/repairs of roads from the Brian Sucre Junction to Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
The company had submitted a $40 million bid at the time.
Adamantium Holdings, in conjunction with Atlantic Fuels Inc, is also premier supplier of fuel for interior mining operations.
The companies were granted fuel licences by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) under questionable circumstances when it was discovered that the company did not meet the minimum requirements under the laws.
