Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerry Gouveia broke his silence on Saturday on the issue that erupted last week over his Duke Street annexe, stating that the reports peddled by Kaieteur News “contain profound inaccuracies and innuendos.”
In its Tuesday, June 20, 2017 Edition, Kaieteur News in an article headlined “Controversial sale of Duke Street annexe to Gouveia…No evidence that board member Gouveia recused himself from transaction,” reported that eight years after the sale of the Duke Street property, investigators may try to ascertain whether Gouveia had rescued himself from the Privatization Unit during the sale of the property. According to Kaieteur News, there is no evidence that he did.

The following day, June 21, 2017, that newspaper further reported that Captain Gouveia had acquired two state properties during his first year as Director of the Privatization Unit.
In a press statement on Saturday, Captain Gouveia made it clear that he was not a member of the Privatization Board during the period covering the transactions associated with the purchase of the property located at Lot 94 Duke street,Kingston,and what is now the Roraima Duke Lodge.
It was pointed that there were nine other bidders and Roraima Airways bid was deemed the highest.

“The bids were opened in the presence of all of the other bidders and officials of the accountant General’s office,” Captain Gouveia recalled.
According to him, he was never present nor was he part of any discussion with the Board of the Privatization Unit during all of the proceedings associated with the sale of the property situated at Lot 93 Duke Street, Kingston.
“The processes associated with the sale of the aforementioned properties were certainly not handled expeditiously. In fact, it took approximately two years in the first instance, and one year in the second instance, to fully conclude the transactions,” the CEO of Roraima Airways emphasized.

It was further pointed out that Roraima Airways won the public bid/Tender for the second building on the merit of its business plan proposal and the final price that was paid of $50M plus VAT of $8M.
“Today approximately one decade since the properties were acquired, both buildings were renovated and today house hotel rooms, conference facilities, a restaurant and bar and other facilities which contribute to enhancing Guyana’s tourism product,” he pointed out.

“Most important, the two buildings which today make up Duke Lodge account for some 100 direct jobs and hundreds more indirect jobs which have been created on the basis of fair hiring practices and without any regard to race, gender, religion or political affiliation. Today, the integrated services of the Roraima Group of Companies account for almost 300 direct jobs,” Captain Gouveia added.
The Roraima Group of Companies said it remains committed to contributing to the development of Guyana and to maintaining its track record of being among the best corporate citizens of Guyana.