Opposition chides gov’t for delays in pump stations construction
Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Vinceroy Jordan, yesterday requested an update on the number of pump stations completed but was told by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha that this information would be provided shortly as the projects that have begun, are soon slated for completion.
Mustapha was speaking as the Parliamentary Committee of Supply convened to consider the 2024 budget estimates for the Ministry of Agriculture.
Jordan asked, “Mr Chair, I would like to find out from the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, a breakdown by numbers on the number of pump stations completed and the dates they were completed.”
Mustapha responded, “Mr Chair, we have not met that programme yet, the pump station is not under that item of examination, I can provide the answer but procedurally we are currently at the item flood risk management.” But Chairman of the Committee of Supply Manzoor Nadir, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly corrected him. “Honourable Minister, we are at programme 212, Agricultural Development.”
Mustapha replied, “Yes agricultural development, so I will lay out all of that information to the honourable member as requested everything to do with the starting date and completion date.”
Under the category Agriculture Development and Support Services, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) received a total sum of $10 billion in capital expenditure which caters for the provision of drainage and irrigation structures, pump stations and payment of retention.
Jordan noted that since $15.3 billion was spent last year under these items of examination, he would like to know an update on the number of pump stations completed since huge sums of dollars have been expended.
Moreover, Opposition Parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul also requested that Mustapha specify the locations of these pump stations, the name of the contractors, the contracted sum for the respective projects, as well as the previous year of expenditure.
Mahipaul also informed the Parliamentary Committee of Supply that the 2023 Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) report for September gives a detailed breakdown of the number of pump stations which are listed for completion.
The Opposition Member said that the PSIP Reports for the periods October, November and December 2023 were not submitted to the NDIA Board. He reminded that the CEO of NDIA must keep the Board of Directors updated with the PSIP reports.
As such, Mahipaul asked Mustapha to ensure the board is provided with adequate and detailed information concerning the PSIP. He also requested the agriculture minister to submit a detailed PSIP as of the 31st of January 2024 to the National Assembly.
“I am asking the Minister since he champions transparency and accountability to submit a detailed PSIP to this house.”
But Mustapha countered, “Mr Chair, I want to clarify some misleading information, the chairman is right here and he told me that the board has received these reports. Sir, I don’t know if the Honourable Mahipaul is not
receiving this information but because of our information, he can receive that information.”
He added, “We are not afraid to lay the report, I ensured that all the issues which the honourable member raised before we addressed it, for example, the contract for the pump station at Black Bush Polder which we terminated, the honourable member went on to say how much money we lost and a whole set of issues, and like other pump stations, I have all the information here which will be presented to the Mr. Mahipaul, we don’t have anything to hide.”
Mustapha told Mahipaul that his government does not extort people but is principled as it relates to accountability and transparency.
However, Mahipaul reminded that the APNU+AFC has representation on the NDIA Board from whom it sources its information.
NDIA disclosed that a $978 million contract for a pump station at Black Bush Polder (BBP), Corentyne, was terminated in September for poor work and
several others had been granted extensions for a variety of reasons.
Mahipaul had identified the terminated company as Yunas Civil and Building Construction.
“With regards to the construction of the drainage pump station to irrigate Black Bush Polder farmlands in Region Six, this project was terminated on September 25, 2023, by the NDIA for poor quality and performance of works being executed. This project will soon be retendered.” the NDIA has informed.
Turning his attention to Cottage on West Bank Berbice, Mustapha said the pump station is about 80% complete and the new completion date is March 30, while the one at Andrews on the Essequibo Coast, which is worth some $528 million should be completed by the end of February, this year. He, however, noted that the pump station at Charity on the Essequibo Coast faced “a lot of challenges” but it is now about 25% complete.
But Mahipaul reminded that the Ministry had said that the
Charity pump station in Region Two had difficulties with squatters who were in occupation of the site and the NDIA had to engage the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to remove those persons within the wayleave of the pump station and that exercise took several months.
He added that the Ministry had said that works are now progressing and pumping equipment is expected to be delivered shortly.
Mahipaul recapped that this $544.8 million contract was awarded on July 8, 2022, to Admantium Holdings with a stipulated completion date of July 8, 2023 and that only 10% of the work had been completed.
But Mustapha in response to this said, “Many of these projects have been facing delays, so Mr Mahipaul suggested that NDIA engineers should design these projects and supervise the construction themselves.”
The sum of $10 billion was approved unanimously by the Committee of Supply, despite the questions raised by Mahipaul.