“No one on the list will be left out” – VP assures 12,000 small contractors of contracts

…as outreach helps bypass admin layers for hundreds of Region 5 residents

Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has announced that more than 12,000 small contractors who have been pre-qualified across Guyana are expected to receive at least one Government contract before the end of this year, as the Administration moves to further structure the distribution of small-scale public works.
Jagdeo made the announcement on Friday during a public outreach at the Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Regional Democratic Council compound, where hundreds of residents gathered to raise concerns directly with Government Ministers and senior officials.
He said the Government had originally opened the contractor pre-qualification exercise for one month but later extended it to three months in order to allow a greater number of persons to become eligible.
“We had a pre-qualification notice out for one month. We extended it for three months just to get a chance so that everyone could be pre-qualified. So if you’re on that pre-qualified list, you are in good shape,” Jagdeo said.
He told residents that the programme has now reached a scale where it requires more structured management to ensure fairness in allocation.
According to Jagdeo, the intention is to ensure that every person who has completed the pre-qualification process is given at least one opportunity to execute a Government contract before the end of the year.
“It means that over the course of the year, we will be seeking to allocate a contract, at least one, for persons on that list,” he said.
Jagdeo explained that the initiative has expanded significantly over time and has become one of the Government’s main mechanisms for involving small contractors in state-funded infrastructure works.
“We’ve been very successful at getting many, many people to become contractors, but it’s becoming overwhelming now. A large number of people are doing this, and we’re happy for that,” he said.
Allocations fair, opportunities distributed
However, he noted that with the growing number of participants, adjustments are being made to ensure that allocations remain fair and that opportunities are distributed across the full list of eligible contractors.
He said persons who have already benefited from recent allocations would not be immediately considered again, as the system moves through those who are still awaiting contracts.
“If you didn’t get in the first instance, which happened recently in this region, you are on the list. So the people who got in the first instance are not going to get in again. We will go down the list of those who did not get, who are pre-qualified,” Jagdeo said.
He added that persons who are on the list but have not yet received contracts should expect continued allocation as the programme progresses.
Jagdeo also clarified that the initiative applies only to contracts valued under $15 million, which are directly allocated to pre-qualified contractors. Larger projects, he said, continue to follow the standard competitive tendering process.
“This is for contracts below $15 million. Because above that, you have to bid. These are contracts that you don’t bid on; you get it allocated to,” he explained.
The VP said the Government’s objective is to expand participation among small contractors and ensure that more individuals and businesses benefit from public investment in infrastructure and community development projects.
Hundreds attend outreach
The contractor announcement was part of a public outreach in Region Five, where hundreds of residents from across the region attended the engagement at the RDC compound in Fort Wellington.
The outreach brought together Ministers and officials from several Government Ministries and agencies, who met directly with citizens to address concerns and provide assistance across a range of services.
Residents raised issues related to agriculture, housing, pensions, employment, education, infrastructure, and social services, among others.
Officials present included representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Housing, Human Services and Social Security, Home Affairs, Public Works, Labour, Local Government and Regional Development, Natural Resources, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, and Public Utilities.
Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, said the outreach reflects what he described as a consistent approach by the Government to maintain direct contact with citizens.
He explained that public consultation is integrated into both policy development and implementation, including the preparation of national budgets and manifesto commitments.
Singh noted that Government officials led by President Dr Irfaan Ali regularly travel across all regions of the country to meet citizens and gather feedback on issues affecting communities.
He added that Region Five was one of several stops in a series of outreach programmes being conducted nationwide.
Phenomenal response
According to Singh, the Region Five engagement recorded a strong turnout, with many issues being addressed during the event itself.
“We’ve had a phenomenal response. We have seen hundreds upon hundreds of persons turn out. They have brought their issues, and I am delighted to say that many, many of them have had their issues resolved on the spot.”
He said that in cases where matters could not be immediately resolved, officials documented the issues and initiated follow-up procedures.
“Others whose issues were not resolved on the spot, their details were taken, investigations launched or work started in relation to their matters, and they were given a firm timeline to be provided with feedback on their matters.”
Bypass administrative layers
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the outreach allowed residents to bypass administrative layers and engage directly with decision-makers.
“What we are doing here, we are also breaking down bureaucracy that exists in regions. Sometimes, people would have raised issues with officials and technical officers, and they are not getting proper attention from them. When they come here directly with the Minister and the Vice President, they have direct contact and the issues are being dealt with immediately,” Mustapha said.
He reported that more than 120 agriculture-related matters were brought to the Ministry during the outreach, with most addressed during the event.
“Most of the issues that were raised were resolved immediately. Things like land issues, farming issues, health, what farmers would have needed and things like that,” he said.
The outreach in Region Five forms part of a wider national programme of community engagement led by President Irfaan Ali and senior Government officials aimed at addressing public concerns and improving service delivery across the country.