Supenaam Stelling cover-up?

In May of this year, the people of this country became aware of a major construction scandal which enveloped the Supenaam Stelling. Two of the major figures in this drama are the Ministry of Public Works and BK International. There are sundry other players including designers, supervisors and the obligatory consultants. The ministry is headed by Minister Robeson Benn who is clearly seen as a rising star for the PPP/C and whose family has had longstanding connections with the PPP. On the other hand, BK International has been seen as a star construction company for this government having been involved in dozens of major projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Somewhere along the line someone bungled big time. Whenever there is a bungle of this magnitude someone has to take the responsibility. Where the honourable thing isn’t done, those in charge take action. In this case nothing has happened. The government is trying to wait it out so that the memories of the people are dulled and so it can get away with doing nothing at all. Everything points in that direction.

A report was commissioned from two engineers who duly complied, only for the government to say that a series of discussions had to be held among the stakeholders. Time enough has passed for that. The government through this inordinate delay has made a mockery of the work of these two engineers who probably should have been aware that the government would use their work for this exact purpose: stall for time.

The average citizen might not have minded if it wasn’t the case that nearly $450 million of taxpayers’ money has already been disbursed for what is now certainly a monument to incompetent engineering and supervision and which would either have to be scrapped or rectified at an even greater cost. No taxpayer in their right senses will want to foot this bill. Someone has to be held liable for this disaster and the monies recovered.

So who is going to act? President Jagdeo had the gumption at his Friday press conference to preach about GECOM abiding by the laws of this country and observed that in one instance $100 million was expended without tender. Could he say what he plans to do to recover the five-fold higher loss from this engineering nightmare? Has he upbraided PM Hinds for not speedily concluding the investigation and the assignment of responsibility?

Such unaccountability is what the government desires where it relates to its interests. In other areas it applies the rules with zealous punctiliousness. The time for the meandering over this particular project has to draw to a close and the culpable dealt with. The Supenaam project and several others will undoubtedly go down in the engineering annals of this country as how not to do it. However, when the government changes it may also lead to clamour for more concerted action against those who have thus far escaped culpability.

We restate the calls to the government issued in an August 16 editorial in Stabroek News on this same matter.

* It must release to the public the report done by the engineers setting out its main findings and recommendations.

* It must indicate if it has accepted the findings and recommendations and how it intends to proceed.

* There should be clear information on whether the extensive remedial works can be covered in part or full under the Defects Liability Period. If there is no such provision the government must explain why.

* The government should say clearly whether there was insurance covering this project and whether a call can be made on any bond lodged.

* Prima facie the government must establish which stakeholders in this project were culpable of wrongdoing and incompetence. It must then institute legal proceedings against them and refrain from clearing any other projects for them until they are vindicated.

* A statement should be presented on the lapses in the stelling project from the publication of the procurement notice to the final signing off on the project and setting out what steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence.

* The government should detail what efforts were made to inculcate community monitoring of the pace of the project and the works actually being done. Thus far the government has exhibited gross negligence in the stewardship of expenditure worth approximately $500 million. It will be exceedingly difficult for it to be taken seriously at all on matters of financial accountability and transparency in the future.