As 2024 draws to a close, questions surrounding the long-anticipated construction of the twelve-storey office complex remain unanswered, sparking concerns about transparency and accountability within the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government.
Annette Ferguson, Member of Parliament (MP), a staunch advocate for transparency and accountability, in a letter published today, has intensified to call to Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, to provide clarity on the $7.6 billion allocated by the National Assembly for the project. Despite assurances from the government, the project has yet to make any visible progress on the ground, and there are increasing calls for the government to address the mounting concerns.
The former Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government, and current Shadow Minister for Housing and Water, has been closely monitoring the project since funds were appropriated in 2022.
She visited the site twice in 2024 and reported no significant activity, aside from aggregate stockpiles related to the ongoing Eccles-Ogle Road construction. The MP has raised alarms that there has been no physical work on the office complex, despite the substantial financial commitment approved by Parliament.
In May 2024, Minister Edghill had assured the nation that “all preliminary works” for the complex were completed. However, the minister did not specify when on-site civil works would commence. The Minister also stated that the project was expected to be completed within 913 days from the issuance of the commencement order earlier that year. To date, there has been no indication that the project is moving forward, despite the funds being earmarked for its construction.
Ferguson, undeterred, has publicly asked whether the $7.6 billion might have been diverted to other projects, such as the Sheraton Four Points Hotel under construction nearby. In response, Minister Edghill dismissed these questions, sought to attack the integrity of the Opposition and refused to provide answers.
Further compounding the situation, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has frequently addressed other government projects in his weekly updates yet remains silent on the status of the twelve-storey office complex, Ferguson contended. This has raised suspicions about whether the lack of updates is a deliberate attempt to conceal the true nature of the project’s delays or possible mismanagement.
Ferguson continues to press for answers, emphasising that transparency and accountability are not optional, especially when public funds are at stake. She has written multiple letters to Minister Edghill and submitted questions in the National Assembly, yet has received no satisfactory response. The absence of information has left many wondering about the true status of the project.
As the year comes to a close, Ferguson is calling on Minister Edghill to address the situation in his upcoming year-end press conference, particularly concerning the $7.6 billion allocated for the twelve-story office complex. She has also called for Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works, Mr. Valdim Persaud, to step forward and provide an update on any payments made or work completed to date.
“The people of Guyana deserve to know what has happened to their money,” Ferguson stated. “We will not remain silent while the government shirks its responsibility to the taxpayers.”
As the spotlight turns to Minister Edghill, the former Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, concludes with a call for transparency: “Now that you are in the hot seat, all eyes are on you. You must account for the people’s money. As a religious leader, I doubt you want your name recorded as the ‘unaccounted and non-transparent minister’ in Guyana’s history.”
With the nation watching, it remains to be seen whether the Minister will finally provide the answers Guyanese have been waiting for.