Charrandass Persaud poised to return to active politics

Last Updated on Monday, 25 November 2024, 19:44 by Writer

Charrandass Persaud—the then governing APNU+AFC parliamentarian who had voted for an opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion in 2018 to bring down the David Granger-led administration—on Sunday said he would be getting back into active politics.

Mr Persaud said he would be deciding his political future by December 15, 2024, noting that if he were to form a party he could secure 5 percent of the votes and be a “force to be reckoned with.” “I have decided to get back into the political arena but I’m not affiliating myself to any political party. No political party leader or ordinary person has asked me to join them so far, none, and I have not decided to form my own party either,” he told reporters.

He said he was concerned about “some contentious” matters on how the country was being run especially the manner in which contracts were being awarded and managed.

“The issuing of contracts; road contracts in particular to people who have claimed that they crossed the floor from PNC to PPP…Contractors, who are diehard PPP supporters are getting these GY$15 million and some of them are not even being paid attention to. That, by itself, speaks to the stupidity of the people issuing these contracts,” he told Demerara Waves Online News. Mr Persaud cited his own experience of having to wait about one year before he is paid the 10 percent of GY$50 million road contract although he has finished the job. He said the Ministry of Housing refused to take his retention bond but have opted to retain his money.

He, however, ruled out trying to rejoin the Alliance For Change (AFC) from which he was expelled shortly after voting for the Bharrat Jagdeo-sponsored no-confidence motion. He said he voted for the motion to remove the AFC from office.

Disgruntled at the way the government was awarding and managing infrastructure contracts, he criticised the President Irfaan Ali-led for not going beyond a mere meeting at State House earlier this month. He suggested that Dr Ali looked weak by not taking on-the-spot action against delinquent contractors and even a senior technical officer from the Ministry of Housing failed to attend the State House engagement. “When the President called a meeting at 5:30 am a few days ago, (named person) was one of the hotshots who did not show up for that meeting and he’s still sitting there…If I’m your boss and I tell you to come to a meeting and you do not show up and you never make an excuse or offer an excuse that you’re sick or something, I’ll fire you,” he said.

He was particularly taken aback that an engineer, who is responsible for issuing contracts and supervising works, also owns two companies. “That is the $#!+ I can’t see happening. That is $#!+ literally but nobody is doing anything about it. The President had a big meeting. What are you doing Mr President? You hold a meeting to do what? Set things right. You’ve left it all the way it is. You’ve only voiced your concern that they have gone over four months after the expiry of your contract but nothing is being done to the people who’ve violated that,” he said.

President Ali had told the contractors that their contracts would be quashed and government would move for liquidated damages if there was no good reason for continued delays.

Himself an Attorney-at-Law, Mr Persaud flayed Attorney General Anil Nandlall for failing to inform creditors that the Guyana government would not be honouring any debts after the no-confidence motion was passed. “Nobody is doing anything about the loans that they took and the decisions that they made,” he said.

Mr Persaud said he did not believe that people were being awarded those smaller contractors in a discriminatory manner, and was in high praise of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill. “Minister Edghill, in my view, one of the finest ministers you have in this government. Edghill! and he is doing his best to make everybody—PPP, PNC, everybody, Black , blue, green, yellow happy as far as giving you a small contract,” he said.