Unacceptable for Speaker to give ministers’ additional time to respond to Order Paper questions
I write to publicly express my dissatisfaction and disapproval of the actions taken by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Manzoor Nadir, MP, at last Monday’s sitting, held on January 15, 2024 during the first sitting of the National Assembly in this year for budget presentation. Several lingering questions were published on the Order Paper for that sitting, in my name and colleague, Hon. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, MP, for both oral and written responses. I was taken aback when Mr. Nadir informed the house that Ministers Gail Teixeira and Bishop Juan Edghill have requested additional time to provide information.
Editor, several days ago, I sent a letter to your publication regarding the yet to see ‘sob turning and construction’ of the 12-storey office complexes through the MOPW, which monies were approved for in budgets 2022 and 2023. Sixteen questions were put in the public’s domain, calling on the Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, MP to come clean and account for the taxpayers’ money of $7B, appropriated by the National Assembly, in budgets 2022 and 2023, respectively. Additionally, at the sitting of the National Assembly on January 15, 2024, the following questions were on the Order Paper soliciting oral responses:
1. Members of the delegation that accompanied His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali on overseas trips. Member Asking: Ms. Annette Ferguson, M.P. Minister Answering: The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and Government Chief Whip
a. Can the Hon. Minister provide a detailed list to the National Assembly of the persons who accompanied the President on overseas trips from August 2, 2020, to May 17, 2023? (Notice Paper No. 322 (Q247 Opp.247) published on 202310-30)
2. Members of the delegation which accompanied Bharrat Jagdeo. MP. Vicepresident, on overseas trips - Member Asking: Ms. Annette Ferguson, M.P; Minister Answering: The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and Government Chief Whip
a. Can the Hon. Minister provide a detailed list to the National Assembly of the persons who accompanied Hon. Bharrat Jagdeo, M.P., Vice-President, on overseas trips from August 2, 2020, to May 17, 2023? (Notice Paper No. 323 (Q248 Opp.248) published on 2023-1030)
3. Full dimensions of the plot of land for the construction of the office complex in the Houston area for the Mandela/ Eccles interlinked road - Member Asking: Ms. Annette Ferguson, M.P; Minister Answering: The Minister of Public Works.
“During the consideration of Budget 2023 under the Ministry of Public Works, program - “Policy Development and Administration, Project code 214800 — Government Buildings, a contract for the sum of $15,874,143,300, was awarded to Caribbean Green Building Incorporated for the construction of an office complex in the Houston area on the Mandela/ Eccles interlinked road.” Can the Honourable Minister inform the National Assembly of the full dimension of the plot of land in the Houston area where the complex is to be constructed? (Notice Paper No. 298 (Q223 Opp.223) published on 2023-10-30)
4. Percentage of the total allocated spent for the construction of the office complex in the Houston area, Mandela/ Eccles interlinked road - Member Asking: Ms. Annette Ferguson, M.P; Minister Answering: The Minister of Public Works - “During the consideration of Budget 2023 under the Ministry of Public Works, program – ‘Policy Development and Administration, Project code 214800 —
Government Buildings’, a contract for the sum of $15,874,143,300 was awarded to Caribbean Green Building Incorporated for the construction of an office complex in the Houston area on the Mandela/ Eccles interlinked road.”
5.*Could the Honourable Minister inform the National Assembly what percentage of the total sum allocated for the construction of the Office Complex has been spent as of June 16, 2023? (Notice Paper No. 299 (Q224 Opp.224) published on 2023-10-30)
6. Percentage of the work completed for the construction of the office complex in the Houston area, Mandela/Eccles interlinked road - Member Asking: Ms. Annette Ferguson, M.P. Minister; Answering: The Minister of Public Works. “During the consideration of Budget 2023 under the Ministry of Public Works, program – “Policy Development and Administration, Project code 214800 — Government Buildings – the sum of a contract for $15,874,143,300, was awarded to Caribbean Green Building Incorporated for the construction of an office complex in the Houston area on the Mandela/ Eccles interlinked road.”
7. Could the Honourable Minister inform the National Assembly what percentage of work has been completed as of June 16, 2023? (Notice Paper No. 300 (Q225 Opp.225) published on 2023-1030). Editor, though I have provided the questions verbatim for your readers to appreciate what is before the National Assembly; what is noteworthy is that the questions standing in my name were tabled in August of 2023 and published on Notice Paper on October 30, 2023.
Editor, I view, this recent act by Speaker Nadir as unacceptable, where members are expected to be accountable. I am convinced by this act; that the Speaker is complicit with the Ministers to hide corrupt practices. Editor, further, I conclude that this twelve-storey office complex seems to be a phantom project. Two years since monies were allocated, Guyana taxpayers are yet to see the sod turning of the site, the design, and the feasibility study of this project. Finally, I am calling on Bishop Edghill to come clean. What is there to hide? Where is the $7B? I await his responses to my previous letter, published by your publication on Friday, January 12, 2024.