Former coalition gov’t spent US$2M on defective pumps
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha

–Agriculture Minister says, affirms outstanding sum will not be paid to supplier until issues are rectified

MINISTER of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has called out the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government for its “poor governing strategy,” as evidence of “wasteful spending” continues to come to light.

Minister Mustapha, while speaking during a parliamentary Economic Services Committee meeting on Wednesday, said the previous administration expended some US$2 million to procure 12 pumps from an Indian company through a line of credit.

He said the equipment were accepted although they did not meet the required standard and specification.

“Those pumps are still in the defect liability stage,” Minister Mustapha lamented.

The Agriculture Minister said that the government has since made significant strides to rectify the situation, noting that the Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall, S.C., is playing an integral role in the process.

“We are now trying very hard to get the right specifications of those pumps. What I have done is ask the Attorney-General to write the company in India because the specifications of the pumps that were supplied were not correct,” Minister Mustapha said.

Already, several changes have been made to the engines, given the magnitude of work.

“Every time there is heavy rainfall around the country and those pumps come on, you have the gearbox damaging, the drive shaft not working, gear oil throwing out, so they are defective pumps and engines,” he said.

Minister Mustapha related that the onus was on the coalition government to ensure the items met the requisite standards.

Approximately US$1 million is outstanding before the agreement between the two nations is complete. Minister Mustapha said, however, that no more money will be paid until the defective pumps are fixed.

“The pumps came in, they went and see them but never objected. That is why now we are objecting to those pumps. As a matter of fact, prior to 2015, we had purchased a number of pumps from the same company and we sent technicians there to look at them, to assess the specification and we rejected those engines,” Minister Mustapha said.

Adding: “Although the former government paid US$2 million already, since I assumed the role of Minister of Agriculture, I have withheld all other sums.”

Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture is advancing efforts to retrieve US$17 million worth of breeding animals, which were purchased under the former government but never delivered.

“… we are on the verge of receiving it and we are following up very aggressively, and I have had the commitment of my counterpart in Barbados to ensure they are supplied,” the minister said.

He said the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the Barbadian authority are making arrangements for the animals to come to Guyana. (DPI)

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