Govt lied about Specialty Hospital- Jagdeo

Last Updated on Saturday, 28 November 2015, 17:22 by GxMedia

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo Saturday disputed government’s claim that Fedders-Lloyd was handed a contract build a Specialty Hospital because it was the second lowest bidder.

Jagdeo said technical-experts had disqualified that company but he declined to divulge details of what he knows about the evaluation. Instead, he called on government to release the evaluation report.

“I don’t want to justify anything..so have them release the document…secure a copy from the government and it will answer all of those questions,” he said.

The former Guyanese leader said the project should have been re-tendered in keeping with transparency. He also slammed government for allowing Fedders-Lloyd to conduct an assessment of the work done so far because it could lead to financial irregularities. Instead, he suggested that that should have been done by an independent agency.

Jagdeo questioned why government created the false impression that it persuaded India to provide new funds for a Specialty Hospital. He said the reality is that India had long agreed to fund the improvement of primary health care and fund a Specialty Hospital.

Under the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration, another Indian company, Surendra Engineering, had been awarded the contract to build the health care facility.

However, in January 2015 government scrapped that contract, citing financial improprieties and failure to deliver on its targets.

The High Court subsequently awarded a multi-million dollar compensation, but that money could be collected if government aapplies to a court in India to compel Surendra Engineering to pay up.

Surendra Engineering had been awarded the contract after bidding US$18 million.

The others were Fedders-Lloyd US$17.6 million after a discount; Sharpoonji Pallonji US$42.4 million; Jaguar Overseas Limited of India US$18.6 million and Vydehi Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre of India US$19.5 million.