Dear Editor,
I’ve taken note of a series of attacks in the print media against the Ministry of Agriculture and NDIA. While I understand that government agencies are not exempt from scrutiny, these writers seem hell-bent on tarnishing the name of those charged with managing these two important entities.
In an article published in the Letters to the Editor column in the March 5, 2024 edition of the Kaieteur News, another letter writer, who I believe is someone with a hidden agenda utilising a pseudonym, made a slew of unjustified and unsubstantiated accusations at the ministry.
I am not here to join the tribe of monkeys who find pleasure in these distasteful writings. I’m here seeking solid proof to back up these claims.
The writer accused the NDIA of purchasing the wrong equipment and tools. I request the writer to provide a detailed list of such claims so that these claims can be verified by this publication, and published if it is indeed true.
The writer in his missive also accused several NDIA engineers of benefiting from bribes in the form of overseas vacations to approve non-working and unsuitable equipment as well as payments for non-performance. Again, I ask, where is the evidence? Present them to us so that the relevant authorities can take the necessary action.
On the issue of pumps that are alleged to have arrived from China, can the writer confirm this? Is the writer employed within the NDIA? Is the writer a contractor bidding for a particular contract to supply pumps? Was the writer part of the design process for the projects in the areas these pumps are expected to service?
And might I add, given the government’s ongoing issues with several pumps procured by the previous administration under an India line of credit which is being dealt with at the highest levels, it would not be in the best interest of the NDIA to procure pumps that do not meet the required specifications.
I, therefore, call upon the writer to provide us with the project(s) design, specifications for these alleged Chinese pumps, and the specifications that he claims are required for the project that these alleged Chinese pumps were bought for.
As someone who worked in a government agency and dealt with the procurement of these types of equipment for several years, I can say that a consultant is usually involved in the process. So, while the engineer will have to give their input, their input goes hand in hand with that of a consultant.
On the issue of the Andrews pump station on the Essequibo Coast, I was able to reach out to a foreman attached to the contractor for this project. While hesitant, he confirmed that the company is now paying liquidated damages because of the delays in the project. I commend the ministry for taking action.
I will not address the accusation made about the Permanent Secretary and the Chief Executive Officer. Those matters were addressed by the ministry in a prior publication and have no merit as those accusations were confirmed to be inaccurate.
We must be wary of the things we say in hopes of garnering attention from the public. All accusations should be accompanied by solid evidence; otherwise, they are baseless attacks.
Yours sincerely,
Ron McKenzie
