SOCU clears Patterson in time for AFC conference

DHB design corruption probe
…hours after new evidence submitted by Teixeira

As the Alliance For Change (AFC) prepares for its two-day National Conference which commences today, Executive Member and Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson was cleared by the Guyana Police Force of any wrongdoing in regard to the award of a sole-sourced contract for a feasibility study into the construction of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

The contract in question was awarded to Dutch company LievenseCSO, and a probe conducted by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) upon request from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had flagged Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson for requesting from Cabinet that the $148 million contract be sole-sourced instead of being processed through the Procurement Board, as the law says should be done.
As a result of that finding, the Opposition last August asked the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to investigate the PPC’s findings; and in a statement from the Force on Friday, SOCU said it had obtained legal advice on the matter: no corrupt act was found.
“There was no misuse of funds. There is no evidence that a criminal offence has been committed, and there is no evidence of any collusion between Arie Mol/Lievense CSO and the personnel from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure,” the Police said in the brief statement.

The request for the probe into the corrupt deal was made by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Executive Gail Teixeira. At the time, however, Teixeira had expressed concerns after she was informed by SOCU that, in addition to then Police Commissioner David Ramnarine and the Force’s legal advisor, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who is also the Chairman of the AFC, was also notified of her request for the probe.
“I noticed they have informed the Minister of Public Security of the investigation. I do not know what the reason is for this… I find it unusual that the request was also sent to the Minister of Public Security. Usually, investigations of this nature are not forwarded to a Minister, it goes through an investigative process,” Teixeira, a former Home Affairs Minister, had stated during a press conference.
One political observer believes the Police Force acted under instructions from the “There is compelling evidence to prove that the Harbour Bridge fiasco reeks of corruption and wrongdoing, but the writing is on the wall for Patterson. He is the most unpopular (figure) in the AFC, and this new instruction to clear him of wrongdoing is to bolster his chances of getting a few votes at the AFC congress (this weekend).
“It is a crying shame that some in the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force have now become political puppets of the corrupt APNU/AFC cabal. The Police may follow political instructions, but the Guyanese voters will not be fooled. We will use our ballot to reject this evil, vindictive, corrupt cabal,” the commentator posited.
This move by the Police comes days after Teixeira had written the Procurement Commission, calling for another investigation into the Feasibility Study for the New Demerara River Crossing in light of new revelations that the cost has been racked up by $131 million more than what the PPC had investigated and found to be the cost in its August 2018 report.
“New information has come to light that, I am of the firm opinion, requires further investigation by the PPC,” Teixeira noted in a letter, dated June 12, 2019, that was released to the media on Friday.
In addition to two varying time periods emanating from the Public Infrastructure Ministry for the duration of the feasibility contract, Teixeira, who is also the opposition party’s Chief Whip, pointed out that new information reveals that the cost of the study had in fact been racked up to a whopping $293.4 million.
“The cost of the Feasibility Study for the New Demerara River Crossing/Bridge was far in excess of the original figure given…US$709,091, or Gy$146.3 million, and far in excess of the figure approved by Cabinet…of $161,514,420 to be used from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (Asphalt Plant Accounts) to cover costs of the Feasibility Study for a New Bridge Across the Demerara River. In fact, the feasibility study cost the taxpayers $293,439,182, or approximately US$1.4 million. This is $131,924,762 more than what the PPC had investigated and found,” she outlined.
According to Teixeira, further checks also found that there was no appropriation for the MPI in the 2016 Budget for a feasibility study for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge crossing, nor were any funds allocated to the DHBC for such purposes by way of a subvention or grant in that year.
She added that MPI’s 2017 Budget also lacks an allocation for this study, and $150 million is assigned to the DHBC for maintenance of the Bridge.
However, the Opposition Chief Whip noted that the Public Infrastructure Minister had stated, during the 2019 Budget debate, that another $100 million was being requested under his capital budget for consultancy services for the new Demerara River Bridge/Crossing, and he had refused to answer questions on this, which created more confusion and suspicion in regard to the issue.
Against this backdrop, the Opposition Chief Whip calls on the Public Procurement Commission to look into these new revelations.
“This information exposes a level of collusion, conspiracy and corruption that requires urgent investigation and intervention with a view to bringing criminal charges against the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson, and other persons connected to the award of the contract for the Feasibility Study and payments to LievenseCSO… The public expects unflinching diligence by the PPC in order to protect the Guyanese people’s interests and uphold the constitutional and legal provisions with regards transparency and accountability of the country’s assets and resources,” Teixeira noted in the correspondence.