Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) Lelon Saul yesterday suggested that the issuance of contracts to Godfrey Yearwood, the husband of Housing Minister Valerie Adams-Yearwood, should be reviewed since a conflict of interest exists.
Minister Adams-Yearwood, who has responsibility for housing and direct supervision of the CH&PA, has declined to respond to questions about a conflict of interest, claiming that she “has nothing to do with contracts.”
When reporters attempted to speak with the minister on the issue yesterday, she directed all questions to Saul, who acknowledged the existence of both the contract and a conflict of interest.
“I really wouldn’t want to respond to that question but nevertheless, if the contractor in question is the spouse of the Minister, certainly it will be a conflict of interest,” Saul told reporters at Guyhoc Park yesterday.
He acknowledged, too, that a sub-contractor had complained to the CH&PA that Yearwood had failed to pay him for works completed.
“A complaint was lodged at the ministry sometime last year (and) we would’ve called in both parties and we advised them to settle the issue,” he said, revealing that the contract with Yearwood is still ongoing.
Asked whether the authority would consider issuing contracts to Yearwood in the future, he said that the award of contracts is done by the board but added that a review of the process should be considered.
“Several contractors were recommended and the Board would’ve awarded contracts…The award of contracts is above my level (but) I think the Board should review that based on recommendations coming from the agency,” the CEO said.
The last CH&PA board was dissolved as at the end of January.
Saul had previously explained to Stabroek News that Yearwood was contracted to build units as part of the agency’s “Housing Solutions and Beyond project,” which was executed in 2017.
“I believe Mr Yearwood was contracted to build some units, about five houses specifically one duplex, two elevated houses and two flat houses sometime in 2017,” he said on Thursday.
The project was launched in June 2017, two months before the Minister married the contractor on August 16, 2017. It is not clear if the contract with Yearwood was signed before or after his marriage to the minister.
Saul had also explained to Stabroek News that usually the CH&PA Board grants contracts up to and including $20 million while the National Tender & Procurement Administration Board grants contracts which are larger. The size of the contract granted to Yearwood is not clear.
Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo revealed the existence of the contract on Wednesday during his weekly press conference, when he noted that a sub-contractor complained of not receiving payments more than a year after having completed work.
According to Jagdeo, the subcontractor visited his office showing him correspondence he had written to various government officials including President David Granger.
“Yearwood sub-contracted these guys from the villages to do the work and then refused to pay them for the work done. So (the subcontractor) came here and he showed me…Four times he addressed the matter (to the President) and four acknowledgment of his complaints and until now, he can’t get (any recourse). Over a year of trying …he can’t pay his workers; they’re harassing him, because the Minister’s husband refusing to pay for contracts he got from the Ministry his wife runs,” Jagdeo said.
