NEW GPC Inc. once again observes with much disdain the numerous lies being published about the company by Kaieteur News (KN). That newspaper’s latest attempt in mudslinging, published on January 19, 2013 and captioned “Bond rental to Health Ministry…New GPC lied about secret $90M payments”, is appalling, a New GPC statement said last evening.

“ That headline is another fabrication. KN lied that New GPC lied! This accusation, though hilarious, was debunked repeatedly. KN’s assertions are most ridiculous as they accuse New GPC of conspiracy and fraudulent activities.
“The claims made by KN are then spun to imply that the entire $90M was received in one year and the company was secretly paid for storing Ministry of Health goods.
“But who did New GPC lie to and why would the company lie when it received US$90,000 or G$18m (not G$90M) on an annual basis for a building it rented to the USAID/SCMS/MSH of all the organisations? This is all nonsense of course! It is common knowledge that USAID/SCMS/MSH used New GPC’s Farm, East Bank Demerara (EBD) premises for their own programmes and New GPC kept MOH/GPHC inventory at Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
“The MOH/GPHC inventory takes up approximately 100,000 square feet at Ruimveldt and the MOH/GPHC did not pay for storage at this site or any other site. But to clarify even further, even if the building at Farm was utilised secretly to provide primary storage for MOH, it is only 11,000 square feet before taking away areas for offices and a laboratory. The Farm facility does not have the requisite capacity to store the quantity of medical supplies for the MOH/GPHC.
“Storage for pharmaceuticals requires far more than four walls and a roof; KN needs to understand this. The article by KN is not only libelous, but it speaks to the levels of unethical journalism by that media entity. KN’s allegations are scandalous and ought to be condemned at the highest level.
“The MOH at no point rented any storage facility from New GPC. The Government of Guyana, at the time of purchase of the pharmaceuticals in question, did not and still do not have the requisite storage capacity.
“Needless to say there is no contract between the MOH/GPHC and New GPC to provide free storage. The company does not charge the MOH/ GPHC for approximately 100,000 square feet being occupied by those two agencies at Ruimveldt; but it could well do so in the future.
“Importantly though, without the assistance of New GPC Inc. the MOH and by extension the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation would have had to seek alternative options to store the drugs purchased.
$90M was not paid to New GPC Inc. by the government for the storage of drugs at any point. If New GPC charges government for the storage of drugs, then over $300M would have to be paid to the company.
The pharmaceutical company believes that while the provision of free storage to the MOH is costly, it is providing proper and adequate storage for the Ministry of Health. Proper storage of medicines is vital.
“The time has come for KN and associates to stop making loose and malicious statements against New GPC Inc. The company rubbishes the allegations levelled against it, noting with much disgust the constant lies being peddled against it.
“New GPC is the Caribbean’s largest and oldest pharmaceutical manufacturer. It is also one of four local and international pre-qualified suppliers of pharmaceuticals to the MOH and GPHC.