GUYANA-POLITICS-AG defends decision to spend millions on constructing new parking shed for vehicles

GEORGETOWN, Guyana– Attorney General Anil Nandlall has described it as “preposterous” and calculated to convey the impression that state funds were being squandered as he defended the decision of his ministry to spend eight million dollars (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) on constructing parking shed for vehicles.

“The current parking shed is decades old, is dilapidated, and would damage government and private vehicles parked under it unless demolished or repaired. It is made of wood and zinc, both rotting,” Nandlall said. He said rather than repair such a derelict structure or replace it with similar materials, the ministry’s management prudently decided to construct parking shed made entirely of steel, cemented to the ground.

In dismissing the report published in a local newspaper that reported the funds could have been used “to house at least two poor families- many of whom are struggling to access state lands and loans to build their dream homes,” the Attorney General said the new parking shed is expected to last at least another 20 years if properly maintained.

The current parking shed at the Ministry’s office. (Kaieteur News photo)

He said that the newspaper should have sought an explanation or checked the bid documents before publishing. The “preposterous” item was published in the newspaper, which would automatically claim a violation of press freedom if the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs stopped advertising in that publication.

“A simple inquiry from the Ministry or an examination of the bid documents would have provided the relevant information that the reporter needed,” Nandlall said, adding that the new parking shed would be larger than the current structure and accommodate several more vehicles.

“if any sensible person examines the acquisition costs of the steel and concrete needed, coupled with transportation, fabrication, and labor required to carry out the works at prevailing rates in the country, that person would conclude that the sum of $8 million is quite a reasonable sum for such a project,” he said, adding that the design and bill of quantities were prepared to free of cost by engineers at the Ministry of Public Works.