Was there an open tender process for the purchase of these helicopters?

Dear Editor,
I am a Guyanese residing abroad and keep abreast everyday, through your newspaper, of what’s happening in Guyana.

I refer to the recent copter deal and from what I have been reading so far, it does not smell right. It appears that some person(s) benefited from this deal personally. Was this purchase put through an open tender process with representatives from the private sector involved – after all it was a very significant expenditure involving taxpayers’ money and it was a very important equipment purchase that would definitely have an impact on security in Guyana. Why wasn’t a guy like Gerry Gouveia involved in the decision, given his expertise in this equipment? Given the history of corruption in government offices, the government should have appointed a committee comprising reputable members of the public and private sector to make this decision.