— given 24 hours to leave; demobilisation efforts underway at illegal concrete facility

ANOTHER director of the illegal concrete facility, Superior Concrete Incorporated, being set up adjacent to South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown, has been given 24 hours to leave the country. The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed on Wednesday that the director, Richard Austin Shamlin, had entered the country on a one-month visa, which has since expired, and as such he was given 24 hours to leave the country or face deportation. This comes after Ian Jones, also a director of Superior Concrete Inc., was given seven days, starting from Wednesday, to do same, after his work permit was revoked. The Immigration Department reportedly discovered that Jones’ services were terminated by his previous employers, who operate in Guyana, but he continued to work in the country under the conditions of same work permit.

Construction on the site had started even though the company did not apply for, nor received the requisite approval from authorities such as the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) for work to begin. On Tuesday, the CH&PA served the company with a third Contravention Order, which serves as a cease-and-desist order and seeks to halt all works on the site for breach of conduct. Previously, when a team from the CH&PA attempted to serve the company with the first Contravention Order it was met with hostility from representatives of Superior Concrete Inc., one of the representatives being Jones himself, who threw away the order.

When contacted for an update on Wednesday, Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, told the Guyana Chronicle that, based on reports he received during the day, demobilisation efforts were underway at the facility. A number of trucks at the site have since vacated the location.
The City Engineer Department of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) had also served an Order on Superior Concrete Inc. to “cease and remove all unauthorised works immediately.” It was reported that the facility is being set up on a portion of land facilitated by Andrew Mekdeci, which is leased from the owner, Michael Vieira of Houston Estates. Mekdeci has since denied involvement with the company.

“I wish to state, categorically, that I am not a shareholder, executive nor a joint venture partner, have no interests in, nor am I financially connected with Superior Concrete Inc. I will neither condone nor participate in any illegal operation and I will not flout the laws of Guyana,” a statement from Mekdeci indicated. In the same statement he explained that his company was contracted to provide equipment and construction materials to the location leased by the company; however, his involvement does not extend to “any concrete batch plant or any other area”. He has also acknowledged the cease and desist order issued by the Government and assured full compliance with the law.