Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon yesterday said that the controversial recent award of the East Coast Demerara highway contract to China Railway makes the case for Cabinet to retain its power to offer or withhold no-objection to contracts.
He reiterated that government was looking to save taxpayers over $2 billion when it withheld its no-objection and recommendation was made for a re-evaluation of the US$57 million East Coast highway contract, subsequently given China Railway First Group.
“When Cabinet withholds its no objection and sends it back, we are not notionally withholding, there are reasons for us withholding; here these considerations we think should be addressed…. You don’t believe if the award was made for US$8 million more the average Guyanese would ask why?” Luncheon asked at a press conference yesterday.
On Tuesday, Stabroek News reported that government had sidelined a recommendation from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) that the contract be awarded to China Harbour Engineer-ing Co Ltd (CHEC), which is the contractor for the Timehri airport project,
