That is why Peoploe does buy the Paper to wipe their asses but them socalle PHd and other socalled "Brite Boys" does treat it like the Holy Bible. When someone who is desperate and is seeking Power, SHAME is not something they recognise easily.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by SuperMike:
.....Blackwater Security.To outsource a contract like this is standard procedure in all governments... take for example Blackwater Security...or Halliburton..shut yall mouff and say thanks to the good investments the PPP is providing for our kids...good job Dr Jagdeo
Huh, why yuh goa soa far bhai, think "Phantoms".
Former Member
quote:These computers, the brand of which is ‘Dell’, and ‘HP’ for the printers, are to be sourced from a reputable company and not any “wishy-washy” one, also that both of the contracts carry a three-year warranty attached, for which the 10 per cent bond will be held to ensure compliance.
The Education Minister reiterated that what is important is that the supplier actually delivers what it is contracted to deliver to the Ministry of Education which will subsequently have its technical personnel assess the quality of the products delivered.
As Nehru posted above, these computers should have been ordered DIRECTLY from Dell with a local authorized service agent providing both service and support.
What is stopping this 'fly-by-night' company from delivering only 60% of the order with downgraded specifications?
The glaring absence of Freedom of Information Bill in Guyana also makes every government tender less than transparent.
1400 desktops for 223 million dollars. Each computer will cost US$796. Yep! lots of cheese here.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by Nehru:
That is why Peoploe does buy the Paper to wipe their asses but them socalle PHd and other socalled "Brite Boys" does treat it like the Holy Bible. When someone who is desperate and is seeking Power, SHAME is not something they recognise easily.
don't talk bout the Chronicle like that
Former Member
These large scale cut and paste is hard to read with paragraphs running into each other.
Dear ministers...Flip never built a road in his life and was awarded the contract. That was problematic there. Here needs more clarity because what is transparent to them is not transparent to others.
quote:Kaieteur News caught lying again
Written by Wendella Davidson
Friday, 22 July 2011
- THE Guyana Government yesterday flayed a Kaieteur News front page article headlined ‘Barber shop’ company gets $300 Million computer contracts’, which, through ‘the language’ used, falsely portrayed an impression that the process was not transparent, and due diligence was not exercised in the award of the contracts concerned. Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, and Minister of Education, Mr. Shaik Baksh, under whose ministry the contract was awarded, yesterday hosted a news conference at NCN television studios, to make the record “quite clear”.
- Minister Baksh expressed regret that even though the processes and procedures leading up to the award of the contract were detailed at the signing ceremony, the media appeared not to have understood.
- Both ministers questioned the rationale behind the article. Minister Baksh said he is at a loss to decipher the “ulterior motive” and reason for the “cheap publicity” given in the Kaieteur News article, and Minister Singh pointed to the language used in the article as clear evidence of the author's intent to distort and misrepresent.
- And, on linking of the contract to that of one awarded to Fip Motilall, who was awarded a contract to build roads to the Amaila Falls, the Finance Minister said it is an “ulterior and wicked motive of the author” of the article, since the Amaila contract was awarded through a similarly transparent process.
- Minister Singh argued that such distortions add credence to the view that the Kaieteur News is the new New Nation, adding that these actions have caused that newspaper to be viewed as the mouth piece of the opposition.
- The company in question is a locally-registered company, Digital Technology, which was recently awarded two separate contracts, valued at $70,841,185 and $222,947, 632.
- The first is in relation to the enhancement of technical and vocational education and training project funded jointly by the GOG and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for the supply, delivery and installation of office equipment for Technical Institutes located in Regions Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) & Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), while the second contract is for the supply and delivery of accessories to the secondary schools computerization project.
- Both contracts, Minister Baksh said, attracted four bidders, with Digital Technology submitting the lowest bid in each case.
The tender was subject to a “national competitive bidding process”, which he stated, was followed in all respects, with the Ministry of Education placing advertisements, opening of the tenders at the office of the National Procurement Board (NPB), and subsequent evaluation and review of the bids by a committee appointed by the Board.- The committee then submitted a report, along with its recommendation, to the Board, which, after its own perusal, forwarded a recommendation to Cabinet which gave its “no objection” to the award of the contract.
- Minister Baksh alluded to the final paragraph in the article which read, “However, Digital Technology was not subjected to such scrutiny, since its project was outside the scope of the CDB,” nailing this as a lie in the case of one of the contracts.
- Minister Baksh, describing the statement by the media house entity as `carte blanche’, said at the signing of the contract, he “was at pains to point out that the CDB reviewed the processes, reviewed the bid documents and pronounced, by way of giving a ‘no objection’, the document which he displayed.
The fact that the CDB gave its `no objection’ is evidence that it is satisfied with the integrity and transparency of the process, the minister posited.
Alluding to the KN article with an accompanying photograph which is the company’s overseas headquarters, Minister Baksh said the Kaieteur newspaper is wrong to say that it is a barber shop.- Minister Baksh said Digital Technology is a registered company in Guyana.
“We are not concerned about operations in the United States and Canada, and Europe and any other country; it is registered and it is a recognized company in Guyana.”- Minister Baksh categorically stated that the contract requirements specify that contract awardee must lodge a 10 per cent security bond and Digital Technology has complied by lodging the sum of $7M and $22M respectively, in relation to the two contracts. This, he said, demonstrates the financial capability of the company, adding that they will have to deliver a quality product complete with specifications as set out in the contract documents before receiving payment.
- Additionally, another safeguard as set out in the contract, the minister explained, is “ the computers and accessories will have to be supplied to the Ministry of Education before any payment is made”. The minister further stated that even before this is done, the Ministry of Education will have to be satisfied with the quality of the products before the final payments are made.
- These computers, the brand of which is ‘Dell’, and ‘HP’ for the printers, are to be sourced from a reputable company and not any “wishy-washy” one, also that both of the contracts carry a three-year warranty attached, for which the 10 per cent bond will be held to ensure compliance .
The Education Minister reiterated that what is important is that the supplier actually delivers what it is contracted to deliver to the Ministry of Education which will subsequently have its technical personnel assess the quality of the products delivered.- Both Ministers Singh and Baksh have urged Kaieteur News and other media houses to pay greater attention to facts.
Meanwhile, representatives of the KN – at yesterday’s news conference - sought to justify their article by questioning whether due diligence was carried out in the awarding of the contract, but the ministers maintained that, to the best of their knowledge, the integrity of the tender process was intact.
Source: Guyana Chronicle
Dear ministers...Flip never built a road in his life and was awarded the contract. That was problematic there. Here needs more clarity because what is transparent to them is not transparent to others.
Former Member
The problem here is not similar. Halliburton can do the job and has a record of doing the job. Their wrong is their cronyism.quote:Originally posted by SuperMike:
This is a clean deal and it went to the lowest bidder, yall is a pack of scamps, only thinking about scampish things. I am happy that the bid was completed and that soon the computers will be available to our kids.Yall can kiss mee ass now ...bunch of haters...To outsource a contract like this is standard procedure in all governments... take for example Blackwater Security...or Halliburton..shut yall mouff and say thanks to the good investments the PPP is providing for our kids...good job Dr Jagdeo
Xe (blackwater) is a uniquer company. They alone have he assets to do what they do. Their problem is the fact the US was allowing the growth of a competing private mercenary army on its soil. For that reason they moved their business off shore.
Flip definitely has no established competency to do what was awarded him. I do not know of this barbershop crew ever doing anything of the kind with which they are tasked to do.
Former Member
Everything here, as D2 has pointed out, smacks of cronyism.
Compare this company to the mainstream IT companies in Guyana such as NT Computeac, Starr Computers, GuyanaNet, Computer High Tech, etc, and the difference is clear.
Furthermore, the continued importing of PCs that can be assembled here, and using proprietary software to boot, illustrates the continued journey by the PPP into the sub-optimum for Guyana. This, of course, is compounded by the motivation seemingly being a continued rip-off of our tax dollars to benefit the ruling elite.
Computers assembled in Guyana using Linux and open source software, not only creates employment and stimulates local business, most especially for our young people, but will use less power than Microsoft Windows, and be much less susceptible to malware (viruses, etc) as well. Brazil has embraced Linux and open source on a massive scale, offering us a successful model to adopt.
Compare this company to the mainstream IT companies in Guyana such as NT Computeac, Starr Computers, GuyanaNet, Computer High Tech, etc, and the difference is clear.
Furthermore, the continued importing of PCs that can be assembled here, and using proprietary software to boot, illustrates the continued journey by the PPP into the sub-optimum for Guyana. This, of course, is compounded by the motivation seemingly being a continued rip-off of our tax dollars to benefit the ruling elite.
Computers assembled in Guyana using Linux and open source software, not only creates employment and stimulates local business, most especially for our young people, but will use less power than Microsoft Windows, and be much less susceptible to malware (viruses, etc) as well. Brazil has embraced Linux and open source on a massive scale, offering us a successful model to adopt.
quote:When Kaieteur News contacted the company to speak with its Chief Executive Officer, Krishendat ‘Terrence’ Sukhu, the person answering the phone said he was not in the office. Further calls yielded the same results, and messages for Sukhu to return calls for clarification went unanswered. On Monday, this newspaper was told that Sukhu was out of the country and would possibly return in two weeks.
He seems to be wet behind the ears? Raymond you know this guy?
Former Member
The contract may have been given to the man who fought the law in NY a few weeks back, well we doan know yet who won but my bet is the law.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mitwah:
That barber shop computer deal
July 22, 2011 | By KNews | Filed Under Letters
Dear Editor,
Did this PPP government give a contract for US $796 per unit for Dell desktops that start at US $299.99?
That is a question that I have a question for all PPP voters and supporters. When was the last time the PPP gave you a pay cheque that is worth 2.66 times what you earned? When last did you earn $1 and get $2.66 instead from the PPP?
This is the contract the PPP Government gave to this Digital Technology with its barbershop headquarters.
I went to the Dell website. I found desktops starting at US $299.99. I found desktop monitors at US $119.99. I found a starting system complete with desktop and monitor at US $419.98.
The PPP gave Digital Technology a $223 million contract for 1400 desktops. That is US$796 per desktop.
The difference between the US$796 in taxpayers’ dollars that the PPP gave to Digital Technology and the system cost from the Dell website is US$376.02 per desktop. Who is pocketing this difference?
But this gets worse. Education Minister Shaikh Baksh reportedly said that these desktops will have 250-gigabyte hard drives.
Dell’s cheapest desktop system at US $299.99 delivers 500 gigabytes.
A mock upgrade customisation shows 500 more gigabytes costing US$70. As such, a decrease of 250 gigabyte in these laptops the PPP is buying for the nation’s schools should reduce the desktop price by US$35. Thus, the Dell starter/entry level desktop should cost US $384.98.
Subtract US$384.98 from US $796 and we get a difference of US $411.02.
When one considers corporate discounts are normally given for large purchases, there could be bigger profits in this for Digital Technology. For 1400 desktops, that is a handsome margin of at least US $575,428.
After deducting shipping costs, Digital Technology could be making a cool US$500,000 or more. It remains to be seen what desktops Digital Technology will deliver. Not bad for a barbershop registered business.
Again, I remind this government that this is not their money. That poor people all across this country are paying for these desktops.
Poor PPP supporters struggling to stay alive in this high cost of living nightmare created by the PPP are paying for this.
Taxes collected from all are being handed out here. This is the kind of madness that destroys this country at every turn.
M. Maxwell
That barber shop computer deal
July 22, 2011 | By KNews | Filed Under Letters
Dear Editor,
Did this PPP government give a contract for US $796 per unit for Dell desktops that start at US $299.99?
That is a question that I have a question for all PPP voters and supporters. When was the last time the PPP gave you a pay cheque that is worth 2.66 times what you earned? When last did you earn $1 and get $2.66 instead from the PPP?
This is the contract the PPP Government gave to this Digital Technology with its barbershop headquarters.
I went to the Dell website. I found desktops starting at US $299.99. I found desktop monitors at US $119.99. I found a starting system complete with desktop and monitor at US $419.98.
The PPP gave Digital Technology a $223 million contract for 1400 desktops. That is US$796 per desktop.
The difference between the US$796 in taxpayers’ dollars that the PPP gave to Digital Technology and the system cost from the Dell website is US$376.02 per desktop. Who is pocketing this difference?
But this gets worse. Education Minister Shaikh Baksh reportedly said that these desktops will have 250-gigabyte hard drives.
Dell’s cheapest desktop system at US $299.99 delivers 500 gigabytes.
A mock upgrade customisation shows 500 more gigabytes costing US$70. As such, a decrease of 250 gigabyte in these laptops the PPP is buying for the nation’s schools should reduce the desktop price by US$35. Thus, the Dell starter/entry level desktop should cost US $384.98.
Subtract US$384.98 from US $796 and we get a difference of US $411.02.
When one considers corporate discounts are normally given for large purchases, there could be bigger profits in this for Digital Technology. For 1400 desktops, that is a handsome margin of at least US $575,428.
After deducting shipping costs, Digital Technology could be making a cool US$500,000 or more. It remains to be seen what desktops Digital Technology will deliver. Not bad for a barbershop registered business.
Again, I remind this government that this is not their money. That poor people all across this country are paying for these desktops.
Poor PPP supporters struggling to stay alive in this high cost of living nightmare created by the PPP are paying for this.
Taxes collected from all are being handed out here. This is the kind of madness that destroys this country at every turn.
M. Maxwell
Former Member
In addition, special pricing can be obtained from Dell if the computers are destined for the educational sector.
This is beyond ridiculous.
But, then again abe coolie na want black man fu rule abe. So put X next to the CUP and continue to endorse THIEVING.
Om Shanti, shanti, shanti.
This is beyond ridiculous.
But, then again abe coolie na want black man fu rule abe. So put X next to the CUP and continue to endorse THIEVING.
Om Shanti, shanti, shanti.
Where is Albert? 
Former Member
Dell Education - Special pricing for Schools.
Ayu bettah put X next to the CUP or else them black man gon kick down yu door, rape yu daughta and thief yu jewels.
Ayu bettah put X next to the CUP or else them black man gon kick down yu door, rape yu daughta and thief yu jewels.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by Rahmah bin Jabr:
Dell Education - Special pricing for Schools.
Ayu bettah put X next to the CUP or else them black man gon kick down yu door, rape yu daughta and thief yu jewels.
And Dell will offer even better prices to starving and impoverished nations like Guyana.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by caribj:quote:Originally posted by Rahmah bin Jabr:
Dell Education - Special pricing for Schools.
Ayu bettah put X next to the CUP or else them black man gon kick down yu door, rape yu daughta and thief yu jewels.
And Dell will offer even better prices to starving and impoverished nations like Guyana.
You cyar yuh rass da side, abie na poor and starvin', yuh rass deh lala land. Abie gat nuff fambily in Old Yark, Tarantala, etc ah senn abie money, Nike, Fila, Reebok, Adidas, Lacoste, IPhone, IPod, IPad, Mac Air, an soa for abie. Leh Dell keep dem cheap ting da side, betta yet, leh abie PPP bais get am at betta higher price, $700 gafa be betta dann datt shitty $300 ting. Keep datt shyte foa alyuh de baad school ova deh in Merika. Alyuh rass de soa baad, alyuh barra money fram China. Abie deh soa good donk hey, alyuh rass ah senn $100 every mont foa keep abie diss company.
Former Member
CEO refused to honour contract with UG after India training - Computer contract scandal grows … Digital Technology claims eight years in existence, but records show only two
JULY 23, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The Digital Technology ‘super complex’ being constructed at Diamond.
Digital Technology, which was recently granted computer contracts worth close to $300 million, yesterday sought to hold itself up as a legal, ethical and honest company, but instead sunk itself deeper into the scandal which the government also tried to defend. In a statement issued by the company’s chief executive, Krishendat ‘Terrence’ Sukhu, Digital Technology said it was amused and unfazed by the accusations, accusing Kaieteur News of publishing half-truths and conspiracy theories with the direct attempt to smear the company’s image.
But the company’s own statement and further revelations have put its reputation at stake. Sukhu was relatively unknown until recently when he copped the two contracts. The first one was for $70 million, and the second for $223 million. Sukhu was employed at the University of Guyana as a Computer Technician when he was sent on a three-month training programme to India in 2005. This is stated on the website of the Guyana Association of persons who would have been part of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme. Upon his return to Guyana, sources told Kaieteur News that he refused to abide by obligations to serve the University. The University Administration had recommended sanctions against Sukhu, but the University Council did not agree. As a result, Sukhu never fulfilled his obligations to the University.
Sukhu claims that Digital Technology was in business for the past eight years (the company’s own website dispute this) – first as a sole proprietor – until it was incorporated three years ago. Persons bidding for the computer supply contracts for schools were required to have three years experience. The evidence shows that Digital Technology was not incorporated three years ago as the company stated yesterday, but two years ago. An official Certificate of Incorporation seen by this newspaper shows that Digital Technology was incorporated on June 2, 2009. Both the Minister of Education Shaik Baksh and the Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh refused to see the documents when they called a press conference Thursday to defend the process involved in the award of the contracts.
Further, by the company’s own admission, if it was not yet a company until a few years ago, it then leaves the Minister of Education to explain how he could claim, on Thursday, that the company was not a “fly by night company” and has been given multi-million dollar contracts since 2002 at a time when Sukhu would have been 19 years old and another of the current director, Chandra Subrina Sukhu, 17 years old. Digital Technology is listed as a branch of Digital Waves Technology, and not as the founding company. Its Head Office is listed at the address where it cannot be found. What this newspaper found at the address is what recently was the offices of real estate agents is now a barber shop in Brooklyn, New York.
The Certificate of Incorporation which shows that Digital Technology was formed two years ago. The company claims it was incorporated three years ago.
Digital Technology is listed at the Caribbean and Latin American office of that company. Sukhu stayed clear of any of these claims and did not even attempt to speak about the company’s head office. This is the same company that yesterday claimed to adhere to high value and ethical standards in its operations, and for this reason has excellent relationships with its clients. However, the company has had difficulties with its clients for poor quality products. Details of this would be published in tomorrow’s edition of Kaieteur News.
The company announced that it has embarked on an ambitious project to extend its investment in Guyana with the construction of its multi-million-dollar 20,000sq ft. Super Complex located in Diamond, East Bank Demerara. This complex will house its technical and senior management team together with the employment of more than 30 more talented Guyanese. This Complex, the company said, is scheduled to be completed in October.
On July 13, Digital Technology Group of Companies (as it was registered in Guyana) was awarded a contract valued at $223 million for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to 70 schools across the country. On Monday last, the Education Ministry awarded a further $70 million to the same company to provide more computers, plus servers and overhead projectors. On December 8, 2010, Digital Technology was written to by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, which falls under the Ministry of Legal Affairs, regarding its breach of the Companies Act. The company was found to be in default of lodging with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies a number of documents. These included Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Accounts and Auditor’s Report for 2010. The company was given 28 days to submit the said documents or risk being struck off the register. The company did not attempt to dispute this fact and did not offer any explanation.
In that same year, 2010, the company was given a $37 million contract to supply computers and accessories to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministers could not explain how the company could have been awarded this contract when it was in breach of the Companies Act, and further refused to look at the documents which state this. The two Ministers called the press conference to discredit Thursday’s headline story in the Kaieteur News regarding Digital Technology which was found to have as its head office address what is now a Brooklyn, New York barber shop. “We are not concerned about operations in the United States and Canada or Europe or any other country; it is registered and it is a recognized company in Guyana,” Baksh said.
In Guyana, the company’s local address is 54 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara. This address is part of a business complex at Grove, which did not have a single computer to sell recently when a Kaieteur News reporter researching bidders for the government’s One Laptop Per Family project visited. The reporter was directed to the company’s office in Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, and the result was no different.
Source
JULY 23, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The Digital Technology ‘super complex’ being constructed at Diamond.
Digital Technology, which was recently granted computer contracts worth close to $300 million, yesterday sought to hold itself up as a legal, ethical and honest company, but instead sunk itself deeper into the scandal which the government also tried to defend. In a statement issued by the company’s chief executive, Krishendat ‘Terrence’ Sukhu, Digital Technology said it was amused and unfazed by the accusations, accusing Kaieteur News of publishing half-truths and conspiracy theories with the direct attempt to smear the company’s image.
But the company’s own statement and further revelations have put its reputation at stake. Sukhu was relatively unknown until recently when he copped the two contracts. The first one was for $70 million, and the second for $223 million. Sukhu was employed at the University of Guyana as a Computer Technician when he was sent on a three-month training programme to India in 2005. This is stated on the website of the Guyana Association of persons who would have been part of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme. Upon his return to Guyana, sources told Kaieteur News that he refused to abide by obligations to serve the University. The University Administration had recommended sanctions against Sukhu, but the University Council did not agree. As a result, Sukhu never fulfilled his obligations to the University.
Sukhu claims that Digital Technology was in business for the past eight years (the company’s own website dispute this) – first as a sole proprietor – until it was incorporated three years ago. Persons bidding for the computer supply contracts for schools were required to have three years experience. The evidence shows that Digital Technology was not incorporated three years ago as the company stated yesterday, but two years ago. An official Certificate of Incorporation seen by this newspaper shows that Digital Technology was incorporated on June 2, 2009. Both the Minister of Education Shaik Baksh and the Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh refused to see the documents when they called a press conference Thursday to defend the process involved in the award of the contracts.
Further, by the company’s own admission, if it was not yet a company until a few years ago, it then leaves the Minister of Education to explain how he could claim, on Thursday, that the company was not a “fly by night company” and has been given multi-million dollar contracts since 2002 at a time when Sukhu would have been 19 years old and another of the current director, Chandra Subrina Sukhu, 17 years old. Digital Technology is listed as a branch of Digital Waves Technology, and not as the founding company. Its Head Office is listed at the address where it cannot be found. What this newspaper found at the address is what recently was the offices of real estate agents is now a barber shop in Brooklyn, New York.
The Certificate of Incorporation which shows that Digital Technology was formed two years ago. The company claims it was incorporated three years ago.
Digital Technology is listed at the Caribbean and Latin American office of that company. Sukhu stayed clear of any of these claims and did not even attempt to speak about the company’s head office. This is the same company that yesterday claimed to adhere to high value and ethical standards in its operations, and for this reason has excellent relationships with its clients. However, the company has had difficulties with its clients for poor quality products. Details of this would be published in tomorrow’s edition of Kaieteur News.
The company announced that it has embarked on an ambitious project to extend its investment in Guyana with the construction of its multi-million-dollar 20,000sq ft. Super Complex located in Diamond, East Bank Demerara. This complex will house its technical and senior management team together with the employment of more than 30 more talented Guyanese. This Complex, the company said, is scheduled to be completed in October.
On July 13, Digital Technology Group of Companies (as it was registered in Guyana) was awarded a contract valued at $223 million for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to 70 schools across the country. On Monday last, the Education Ministry awarded a further $70 million to the same company to provide more computers, plus servers and overhead projectors. On December 8, 2010, Digital Technology was written to by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, which falls under the Ministry of Legal Affairs, regarding its breach of the Companies Act. The company was found to be in default of lodging with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies a number of documents. These included Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Accounts and Auditor’s Report for 2010. The company was given 28 days to submit the said documents or risk being struck off the register. The company did not attempt to dispute this fact and did not offer any explanation.
In that same year, 2010, the company was given a $37 million contract to supply computers and accessories to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministers could not explain how the company could have been awarded this contract when it was in breach of the Companies Act, and further refused to look at the documents which state this. The two Ministers called the press conference to discredit Thursday’s headline story in the Kaieteur News regarding Digital Technology which was found to have as its head office address what is now a Brooklyn, New York barber shop. “We are not concerned about operations in the United States and Canada or Europe or any other country; it is registered and it is a recognized company in Guyana,” Baksh said.
In Guyana, the company’s local address is 54 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara. This address is part of a business complex at Grove, which did not have a single computer to sell recently when a Kaieteur News reporter researching bidders for the government’s One Laptop Per Family project visited. The reporter was directed to the company’s office in Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, and the result was no different.
Source
TK_REDUX (Guest)
Wow! Maxwell has done the nation a great service here yet again!
TK_REDUX (Guest)
quote:GERHARD: Everything here, as D2 has pointed out, smacks of cronyism.
Compare this company to the mainstream IT companies in Guyana such as NT Computeac, Starr Computers, GuyanaNet, Computer High Tech, etc, and the difference is clear.
Furthermore, the continued importing of PCs that can be assembled here, and using proprietary software to boot, illustrates the continued journey by the PPP into the sub-optimum for Guyana. This, of course, is compounded by the motivation seemingly being a continued rip-off of our tax dollars to benefit the ruling elite.
Computers assembled in Guyana using Linux and open source software, not only creates employment and stimulates local business, most especially for our young people, but will use less power than Microsoft Windows, and be much less susceptible to malware (viruses, etc) as well. Brazil has embraced Linux and open source on a massive scale, offering us a successful model to adopt.
Good point there bhai...
Former Member
Thanks TK 
Former Member
Digital Technology supplied faulty equipment to UG - Education Ministry scampers to cover tracks
JULY 24, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The letter from the Ministry of Legal Affairs in which Digital Technology was threatened with being struck off the Companies Register if it did not comply with the Companies Act.
Digital Technology, the firm that has secured multi-million dollar computer contracts from the government since 2002, has been found to have supplied wrong and faulty equipment to the University of Guyana. And the Ministry of Education is looking to cover its tracks in the growing scandal. On Friday, the company issued a statement to assert its reputation given revelations by this newspaper, including that its Head Office address in Brooklyn, New York has been found to be but a barber shop. “Our strategic alliances allow us to provide our customers with quality products and services at competitive prices,” the company said, but the evidence paints a different picture.
Minister of Education Shaik Baksh had claim that there have been no complaints since the government and his Ministry in particular has been dealing with Digital Technology. On Friday, Digital Technology said that it adheres to “high value and ethical standards” and this is one of the reasons for the “excellent relationships” it shares with its clients. But Digital Technology had way less than an “excellent” relation with the University of Guyana. The local university has been supplied with equipment by the company through the Ministry of Education.
Sources have told Kaieteur News that the Ministry of Education recently paid the company $10 million to replace two 25KVA UPS (uninterrupted power supply systems) that were damaged by the massive flood in 2005. The original equipment were of the Powerware brand. The Ministry made a decision to replace the equipment with the same pair of Powerware-branded UPS. However, Digital Technology delivered equipment different from the specifications it should have. What the company supplied was two 20KVA APC UPS – a different brand and a less than the required KVA. The equipment was installed by a different company, which has an East Bank Demerara address and which was said to be an extension of Digital Technology. The equipment was installed some time in October 2010, but did not last more than a month. The University complained to the Ministry of Education, Digital Technology and the firm that installed the equipment, but to no avail. With months of delay, the University decided to hire another company and as a result Digital Technology has not been held to account for the faulty equipment.
Krishendat Sukhu, CEO of Digital Technology
In fact, this was not the first time that the University had concerns with the company. A senior University official told Kaieteur News that the University in the past did buy equipment directly from the company, but it was found that the equipment would soon need repairs. And as a result, the University stopped buying from the company and now sources directly from Dell, through a relationship established with the University of the West Indies.
Krishendat Sukhu was employed at the University of Guyana as a Computer Technician when he was sent on a three-month training programme to India in 2005, but upon his return to Guyana, sources told Kaieteur News that he refused to abide by obligations to serve the University. On Thursday, Minister Baksh defended the company, saying it was not a “fly by night” entity, since it was handed a total of 38 government contracts since 2002. Baksh went as far as to say that the government has had no complaints about the company. However, caught in the scandal and unable to account for any due diligence done on the company before the award of one of its recent contracts – amount to $223 million – the Ministry seems to be making sure that it covers all its tracks before more revelations emerge.
On Friday, sources told Kaieteur News that officials from the Ministry touched down at the University’s Berbice campus to take details regarding computers that were supplied to that campus a while back. In addition, the officials were also Friday at the University’s Turkeyen campus, taking details about computers that were delivered by the company since last December. It appears that no checks were carried out on the equipment that were delivered to the University. Kaieteur News understands that an estimated 30 computers with equipment were dropped off at the University since last December, but the Ministry of Education officials were only Friday verifying the equipment following revelations about the company.
In the case of the $223 million contract, it appears at the company would do the same thing, that is, deliver the equipment following which checks would be made. This seemed to be direct contradiction to what Minister Baksh on Thursday suggested that “the computers and accessories will have to be supplied to the Ministry before any payment is made and even in that case, all payments will not be made until the Ministry of Education is satisfied with the quality of the products.” But the Minister’s statement was different from what was said to bidders in an addendum to the bid documents for the supply of the computers to 110 schools. The bidders were told that the winning contractor would have to deliver the computers to the schools in question and not to the Ministry of Education. Each of the schools is slated to receive 20 desktop computers, a server, 11 UPS, 11 surge protectors, one printer and one projector. It is when the computers are delivered to schools that tests and inspections of items will have to be carried out, as the addendum to the bid documents suggest.
Meanwhile, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) yesterday said the recent revelations by Kaieteur News show that with each passing day “our country continues to suffer more and more from the soiled hands of this government of thieves.” Despite the exposure of scams and rackets, the WPA said there is no letting up, and instead the attempted cover-ups are becoming flimsier and more absurd. “The latest ‘Barber Shop’ scam exposed in nauseating detail in the Kaieteur News reveals the true motive and intent behind the ‘one-laptop-per-family’ project,” the WPA statement claimed. The party said that with the ongoing Amaila Falls/Synergy Holdings scam one would have thought the PPP/C Administration would have been careful about “its nefarious connections to its highly publicized US cronies, gangsters and fraudsters operating business shells for purposes of conniving and thieving.” “No such thing has happened and once again taxpayers money and the Public Treasury are being raided by these shady operations and operators linked to the PPP/C Administration,” the WPA added. The party has formed a coalition with other parties called A Partnership for National Unity and said that if elected it would ensure that such “blatant scams are subject to forensic auditing by specialists both local and overseas.”
On July 13, Digital Technology Group of Companies (as it was registered in Guyana) was awarded a contract valued at $223 million for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to 70 schools across the country. On Monday last, the Education Ministry awarded a further $70 million to the same company to provide more computers, plus servers and overhead projectors. On December 8, 2010, Digital Technology was written to by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, which falls under the Ministry of Legal Affairs, regarding its breach of the Companies Act. The company was found to be in default of lodging with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies a number of documents. These included Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Accounts and Auditor’s Report for 2010. The company was given 28 days to submit the said documents or risk being struck off the register. The company did not attempt to dispute this fact and did not offer any explanation.
In that same year, 2010, the company was given a $37 million contract to supply computers and accessories to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministers could not explain how the company could have been awarded this contract when it was in breach of the Companies Act, and further refused to look at the documents which state this.
Source
JULY 24, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The letter from the Ministry of Legal Affairs in which Digital Technology was threatened with being struck off the Companies Register if it did not comply with the Companies Act.
Digital Technology, the firm that has secured multi-million dollar computer contracts from the government since 2002, has been found to have supplied wrong and faulty equipment to the University of Guyana. And the Ministry of Education is looking to cover its tracks in the growing scandal. On Friday, the company issued a statement to assert its reputation given revelations by this newspaper, including that its Head Office address in Brooklyn, New York has been found to be but a barber shop. “Our strategic alliances allow us to provide our customers with quality products and services at competitive prices,” the company said, but the evidence paints a different picture.
Minister of Education Shaik Baksh had claim that there have been no complaints since the government and his Ministry in particular has been dealing with Digital Technology. On Friday, Digital Technology said that it adheres to “high value and ethical standards” and this is one of the reasons for the “excellent relationships” it shares with its clients. But Digital Technology had way less than an “excellent” relation with the University of Guyana. The local university has been supplied with equipment by the company through the Ministry of Education.
Sources have told Kaieteur News that the Ministry of Education recently paid the company $10 million to replace two 25KVA UPS (uninterrupted power supply systems) that were damaged by the massive flood in 2005. The original equipment were of the Powerware brand. The Ministry made a decision to replace the equipment with the same pair of Powerware-branded UPS. However, Digital Technology delivered equipment different from the specifications it should have. What the company supplied was two 20KVA APC UPS – a different brand and a less than the required KVA. The equipment was installed by a different company, which has an East Bank Demerara address and which was said to be an extension of Digital Technology. The equipment was installed some time in October 2010, but did not last more than a month. The University complained to the Ministry of Education, Digital Technology and the firm that installed the equipment, but to no avail. With months of delay, the University decided to hire another company and as a result Digital Technology has not been held to account for the faulty equipment.
Krishendat Sukhu, CEO of Digital Technology
In fact, this was not the first time that the University had concerns with the company. A senior University official told Kaieteur News that the University in the past did buy equipment directly from the company, but it was found that the equipment would soon need repairs. And as a result, the University stopped buying from the company and now sources directly from Dell, through a relationship established with the University of the West Indies.
Krishendat Sukhu was employed at the University of Guyana as a Computer Technician when he was sent on a three-month training programme to India in 2005, but upon his return to Guyana, sources told Kaieteur News that he refused to abide by obligations to serve the University. On Thursday, Minister Baksh defended the company, saying it was not a “fly by night” entity, since it was handed a total of 38 government contracts since 2002. Baksh went as far as to say that the government has had no complaints about the company. However, caught in the scandal and unable to account for any due diligence done on the company before the award of one of its recent contracts – amount to $223 million – the Ministry seems to be making sure that it covers all its tracks before more revelations emerge.
On Friday, sources told Kaieteur News that officials from the Ministry touched down at the University’s Berbice campus to take details regarding computers that were supplied to that campus a while back. In addition, the officials were also Friday at the University’s Turkeyen campus, taking details about computers that were delivered by the company since last December. It appears that no checks were carried out on the equipment that were delivered to the University. Kaieteur News understands that an estimated 30 computers with equipment were dropped off at the University since last December, but the Ministry of Education officials were only Friday verifying the equipment following revelations about the company.
In the case of the $223 million contract, it appears at the company would do the same thing, that is, deliver the equipment following which checks would be made. This seemed to be direct contradiction to what Minister Baksh on Thursday suggested that “the computers and accessories will have to be supplied to the Ministry before any payment is made and even in that case, all payments will not be made until the Ministry of Education is satisfied with the quality of the products.” But the Minister’s statement was different from what was said to bidders in an addendum to the bid documents for the supply of the computers to 110 schools. The bidders were told that the winning contractor would have to deliver the computers to the schools in question and not to the Ministry of Education. Each of the schools is slated to receive 20 desktop computers, a server, 11 UPS, 11 surge protectors, one printer and one projector. It is when the computers are delivered to schools that tests and inspections of items will have to be carried out, as the addendum to the bid documents suggest.
Meanwhile, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) yesterday said the recent revelations by Kaieteur News show that with each passing day “our country continues to suffer more and more from the soiled hands of this government of thieves.” Despite the exposure of scams and rackets, the WPA said there is no letting up, and instead the attempted cover-ups are becoming flimsier and more absurd. “The latest ‘Barber Shop’ scam exposed in nauseating detail in the Kaieteur News reveals the true motive and intent behind the ‘one-laptop-per-family’ project,” the WPA statement claimed. The party said that with the ongoing Amaila Falls/Synergy Holdings scam one would have thought the PPP/C Administration would have been careful about “its nefarious connections to its highly publicized US cronies, gangsters and fraudsters operating business shells for purposes of conniving and thieving.” “No such thing has happened and once again taxpayers money and the Public Treasury are being raided by these shady operations and operators linked to the PPP/C Administration,” the WPA added. The party has formed a coalition with other parties called A Partnership for National Unity and said that if elected it would ensure that such “blatant scams are subject to forensic auditing by specialists both local and overseas.”
On July 13, Digital Technology Group of Companies (as it was registered in Guyana) was awarded a contract valued at $223 million for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to 70 schools across the country. On Monday last, the Education Ministry awarded a further $70 million to the same company to provide more computers, plus servers and overhead projectors. On December 8, 2010, Digital Technology was written to by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, which falls under the Ministry of Legal Affairs, regarding its breach of the Companies Act. The company was found to be in default of lodging with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies a number of documents. These included Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Accounts and Auditor’s Report for 2010. The company was given 28 days to submit the said documents or risk being struck off the register. The company did not attempt to dispute this fact and did not offer any explanation.
In that same year, 2010, the company was given a $37 million contract to supply computers and accessories to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministers could not explain how the company could have been awarded this contract when it was in breach of the Companies Act, and further refused to look at the documents which state this.
Source
Former Member
Minister suspected of being major financier - ‘Barber Shop’ computer scandal grows…
JULY 25, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The issue of the contract to Digital Technology has taken yet another interesting turn. The company is registered as Digital Technology Group of Companies with Krishendat Sukhu as its Chief Executive Officer. Documents from the Deeds Registry stated that the company was registered on June 2, 2009. Yesterday, information that Sukhu was the front man for three investors came to the fore. The three all came out of the University of Guyana, two of them graduating from the same class. They later became lecturers at the University and are said to have maintained a strong bond. One of them is now a Minister of Government.
Last week after queries arose about the contracts worth some $300 million for the supply of computers to the Ministry of Education, Minister of Education Shaik Baksh and Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh hastily called a press conference to denounce this newspaper. Minister Baksh announced that Digital Technology was “not a fly by night company” since the Education Ministry was doing business with it since 2002. It did not matter to Minister Baksh that the company only came into existence some seven years later. But even before Digital Technology became a registered company, instructions came from the Ministry of Finance that Ministries should no longer requisition computers, that all requisitions would be made by the Ministry of Finance.
Three years ago, Raymond Khan, General Manager of the Centre for Information Technology, spearheaded a project at the Ministry of Finance. Terrence Sukhu was the major supplier for the computer components for that project. There was no known tender for that contract. Khan until then had spearheaded the University of Guyana Computer programme. The Ministry of Legal Affairs was one of the entities that received such an order and subsequently received two computers. The Ministry later found that maintenance was an issue. It could not acquire components months after the receipt of the computer.
Digital Technology has been supplying all the computer requirements for the Education Ministry and for just about every Government Ministry. Information is that the involvement of one of the owners is in a senior Government position and is facilitating such contracts. Meanwhile, approaches are to be made to Education Minister Baksh for details of all the contracts supplied to Digital Technology. On Thursday, he said that Digital Technology had received 38 contracts over the past nine years. Not all were for the Education Ministry but Minister Baksh had close knowledge of all these 38 contracts awarded to Digital Technology. He was not even a Minister of Education in 2002.
And Digital Technology has not been known for its maintenance programme. The local university has been supplied with equipment by the company through the Ministry of Education. Sources have told Kaieteur News that the Ministry of Education recently paid the company $10 million to replace two 25KVA UPS (uninterrupted power supply systems) that were damaged by the massive flood in 2005. The original equipment were of the Powerware brand. The Ministry made a decision to replace the equipment with the same pair of Powerware-branded UPS. However, Digital Technology delivered equipment different from the specifications it should have sent. What the company supplied was two 20KVA APC UPS – a different brand and less than the required KVA. The equipment was installed by a different company, which has an East Bank Demerara address and which was said to be an extension of Digital Technology.
The equipment was installed some time in October 2010, but did not last more than a month. The University complained to the Ministry of Education, Digital Technology and the firm that installed the equipment, but to no avail. With months of delay, the University decided to hire another company and as a result Digital Technology has not been held to account for the faulty equipment. In fact, this was not the first time that the University had concerns with the company. A senior University official told Kaieteur News that the University in the past did buy equipment directly from the company, but it was found that the equipment would soon need repairs. And as a result, the University stopped buying from the company and now sources directly from Dell, through a relationship established with the University of the West Indies.
Source
JULY 25, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The issue of the contract to Digital Technology has taken yet another interesting turn. The company is registered as Digital Technology Group of Companies with Krishendat Sukhu as its Chief Executive Officer. Documents from the Deeds Registry stated that the company was registered on June 2, 2009. Yesterday, information that Sukhu was the front man for three investors came to the fore. The three all came out of the University of Guyana, two of them graduating from the same class. They later became lecturers at the University and are said to have maintained a strong bond. One of them is now a Minister of Government.
Last week after queries arose about the contracts worth some $300 million for the supply of computers to the Ministry of Education, Minister of Education Shaik Baksh and Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh hastily called a press conference to denounce this newspaper. Minister Baksh announced that Digital Technology was “not a fly by night company” since the Education Ministry was doing business with it since 2002. It did not matter to Minister Baksh that the company only came into existence some seven years later. But even before Digital Technology became a registered company, instructions came from the Ministry of Finance that Ministries should no longer requisition computers, that all requisitions would be made by the Ministry of Finance.
Three years ago, Raymond Khan, General Manager of the Centre for Information Technology, spearheaded a project at the Ministry of Finance. Terrence Sukhu was the major supplier for the computer components for that project. There was no known tender for that contract. Khan until then had spearheaded the University of Guyana Computer programme. The Ministry of Legal Affairs was one of the entities that received such an order and subsequently received two computers. The Ministry later found that maintenance was an issue. It could not acquire components months after the receipt of the computer.
Digital Technology has been supplying all the computer requirements for the Education Ministry and for just about every Government Ministry. Information is that the involvement of one of the owners is in a senior Government position and is facilitating such contracts. Meanwhile, approaches are to be made to Education Minister Baksh for details of all the contracts supplied to Digital Technology. On Thursday, he said that Digital Technology had received 38 contracts over the past nine years. Not all were for the Education Ministry but Minister Baksh had close knowledge of all these 38 contracts awarded to Digital Technology. He was not even a Minister of Education in 2002.
And Digital Technology has not been known for its maintenance programme. The local university has been supplied with equipment by the company through the Ministry of Education. Sources have told Kaieteur News that the Ministry of Education recently paid the company $10 million to replace two 25KVA UPS (uninterrupted power supply systems) that were damaged by the massive flood in 2005. The original equipment were of the Powerware brand. The Ministry made a decision to replace the equipment with the same pair of Powerware-branded UPS. However, Digital Technology delivered equipment different from the specifications it should have sent. What the company supplied was two 20KVA APC UPS – a different brand and less than the required KVA. The equipment was installed by a different company, which has an East Bank Demerara address and which was said to be an extension of Digital Technology.
The equipment was installed some time in October 2010, but did not last more than a month. The University complained to the Ministry of Education, Digital Technology and the firm that installed the equipment, but to no avail. With months of delay, the University decided to hire another company and as a result Digital Technology has not been held to account for the faulty equipment. In fact, this was not the first time that the University had concerns with the company. A senior University official told Kaieteur News that the University in the past did buy equipment directly from the company, but it was found that the equipment would soon need repairs. And as a result, the University stopped buying from the company and now sources directly from Dell, through a relationship established with the University of the West Indies.
Source
Former Member
Gerhard, this is one of the nastiest allegation of corruption ever in the history in Guyana. I glad Ramotar is the Candidate since at least he a million time better than the Minista who is the silent patna in this financial rape.
ITEC. Who get ITEC scholarship. Sukhu, the technical people at Ministry of Education and the silent money man.
ITEC. Who get ITEC scholarship. Sukhu, the technical people at Ministry of Education and the silent money man.
Former Member
I will be addressing this at this coming Wednesday's press conference.quote:Originally posted by Sase Singh:
Gerhard, this is one of the nastiest allegation of corruption ever in the history in Guyana. I glad Ramotar is the Candidate since at least he a million time better than the Minista who is the silent patna in this financial rape.
ITEC. Who get ITEC scholarship. Sukhu, the technical people at Ministry of Education and the silent money man.
Former Member
Digital Technology given contracts before it existed – Education Ministry confirms - ‘Barber shop’ computer contract scandal widens
JULY 26, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The document from the Registrar of Business Names that shows Digital Technology was first registered as a business in 2003, but was given a contract in 2002 – even before it was registered as an ordinary business.
In another attempt to defend the award of multi-million-dollar contracts to Digital Technology – the company’s head office address which was found to be a Brooklyn barber shop – the Minister of Education has in effect admitted the entity was given contracts even before it existed. And the Education Ministry wants this newspaper to name the Minister who is said to be a major financier of the company. Editor-in-chief Adam Harris said that this newspaper is prepared to do that once Minister Shaik Baksh supplies full details of the 38 contracts that were awarded to Digital Technology.
Yesterday, in an apparent forced statement forwarded to the media houses by the Ministry, the Registrar of Business Names confirmed that Digital Technology was registered as a business on November 27, 2003, with Krishendat Sukhu and Steve Morgan, as proprietors. Minister Baksh last Thursday said that the company received government contracts as far back as 2002. This suggested that Digital Technology received contracts even before it existed, whether as a sole trader or as fully incorporated company. The Minister of Education is yet to explain how this is so, and to provide the full list of 38 contracts given to the company since then. The last registration of Digital Technology as a business was in June 2008. Digital Technology was incorporated as a full company, with directors and shareholders in June 2009.
Being registered as a business and being registered as a company carries completely different requirements. When persons register a business they were not required to submit any sort of financial reports. And that was the position of Digital Technology from 2003 to June, 2009. During that same period, according to Baksh, it received multi-million-dollar contracts. When it became a company, under the Companies Act, it was required to submit Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, profit and Loss Accounts and Auditors Reports. This is what the company failed to do in 2010 and was threatened with being struck off the register of companies. Even when it became a company, no checks were done on its position – according to Minister Baksh – when it was granted a $223 million contract.
A reported “due diligence” was conducted by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) before the company was granted a $70 million contract. It was that same CDB position, Baksh said, that was used to grant the company the $223 million contract that is being funded by Guyanese taxpayers. The company, which is thought to be financed by a minister, was awarded contracts when it was in default of the Companies Act. It supplied faulty equipment to the University of Guyana, and of its CEO breached his obligation to serve the University after his return from India training.
The Ministry yesterday disputed claims by this newspaper that Digital Technology was paid $10M to supply two UPS to the University of Guyana (Turkeyen Campus) that were damaged by floods in 2005. The Ministry claims that the two pieces of equipment were replaced by the manufacturer as both had a three-year warranty and the equipment are now working well. Sources did say that it was not Digital Technology that helped the University receive the replacement UPS. They said that after repeated efforts by the University’s Information Technology Department were met with repeated excuses by Digital Technology, frustration boiled over and another company was called in to assess the process. It was only then that the UPS were replaced.
Thirdly, the Ministry of Legal Affairs Permanent Secretary Edward Wills has confirmed that the two computers supplied to the ministry are working well and there have been no reports of any defects as reported by the Kaieteur News. Finance Secretary Nirmal Rehaka has also confirmed that all contracts awarded to Digital Technology have followed all applicable tender procedures. Further, the Ministry of Education quoted the Head of the University of Guyana Information Technology Department (Turkeyen Campus), Raymond Khan, and the Director of the Berbice Campus Professor Daizal Samad, as saying that the computers supplied to the university campuses are of good quality and are working well.
A senior University source had told Kaieteur News that one of the reasons why the University stopped by buying from the company directly and started to source from Dell was because of faulty equipment. The Ministry however continued to source computers for the University from Digital Technology, but the equipment were not checked upon delivery to ensure they complied with the required specifications. On Friday, sources told Kaieteur News that officials from the Ministry touched down at the University’s Berbice campus to take details regarding computers that were supplied to that campus a while back. In addition, the officials were also Friday at the University’s Turkeyen campus, taking details about computers that were delivered by the company since last December. It appears that no checks were carried out on the equipment that were delivered to the University. Kaieteur News understands that an estimated 30 computers with equipment were dropped off at the University since last December, but the Ministry of Education officials were only Friday verifying the equipment following revelations about the company.
On the equipment supplied to the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Education Ministry quoted the Permanent Secretary Edward Wills as saying the there have been no reports of any defects. The Ministry of Education quoted Finance Secretary Nirmal Rekha as saying that all contracts awarded to Digital Technology have followed all applicable tender procedures. The Ministry, which has jumped to defend Digital Technology and the award of contracts to that company, restated that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board is the authority responsible for the evaluation and the award of contracts.
Tenders are opened publicly, evaluated by a committee appointed by the board which makes reports and recommendations, and an award is finally made by the board. At a press conference Minister Baksh called with Minister of Finance Ashni Singh, they both said that the Board does not go checking on the information submitted by bidders.
Source
JULY 26, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
The document from the Registrar of Business Names that shows Digital Technology was first registered as a business in 2003, but was given a contract in 2002 – even before it was registered as an ordinary business.
In another attempt to defend the award of multi-million-dollar contracts to Digital Technology – the company’s head office address which was found to be a Brooklyn barber shop – the Minister of Education has in effect admitted the entity was given contracts even before it existed. And the Education Ministry wants this newspaper to name the Minister who is said to be a major financier of the company. Editor-in-chief Adam Harris said that this newspaper is prepared to do that once Minister Shaik Baksh supplies full details of the 38 contracts that were awarded to Digital Technology.
Yesterday, in an apparent forced statement forwarded to the media houses by the Ministry, the Registrar of Business Names confirmed that Digital Technology was registered as a business on November 27, 2003, with Krishendat Sukhu and Steve Morgan, as proprietors. Minister Baksh last Thursday said that the company received government contracts as far back as 2002. This suggested that Digital Technology received contracts even before it existed, whether as a sole trader or as fully incorporated company. The Minister of Education is yet to explain how this is so, and to provide the full list of 38 contracts given to the company since then. The last registration of Digital Technology as a business was in June 2008. Digital Technology was incorporated as a full company, with directors and shareholders in June 2009.
Being registered as a business and being registered as a company carries completely different requirements. When persons register a business they were not required to submit any sort of financial reports. And that was the position of Digital Technology from 2003 to June, 2009. During that same period, according to Baksh, it received multi-million-dollar contracts. When it became a company, under the Companies Act, it was required to submit Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, profit and Loss Accounts and Auditors Reports. This is what the company failed to do in 2010 and was threatened with being struck off the register of companies. Even when it became a company, no checks were done on its position – according to Minister Baksh – when it was granted a $223 million contract.
A reported “due diligence” was conducted by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) before the company was granted a $70 million contract. It was that same CDB position, Baksh said, that was used to grant the company the $223 million contract that is being funded by Guyanese taxpayers. The company, which is thought to be financed by a minister, was awarded contracts when it was in default of the Companies Act. It supplied faulty equipment to the University of Guyana, and of its CEO breached his obligation to serve the University after his return from India training.
The Ministry yesterday disputed claims by this newspaper that Digital Technology was paid $10M to supply two UPS to the University of Guyana (Turkeyen Campus) that were damaged by floods in 2005. The Ministry claims that the two pieces of equipment were replaced by the manufacturer as both had a three-year warranty and the equipment are now working well. Sources did say that it was not Digital Technology that helped the University receive the replacement UPS. They said that after repeated efforts by the University’s Information Technology Department were met with repeated excuses by Digital Technology, frustration boiled over and another company was called in to assess the process. It was only then that the UPS were replaced.
Thirdly, the Ministry of Legal Affairs Permanent Secretary Edward Wills has confirmed that the two computers supplied to the ministry are working well and there have been no reports of any defects as reported by the Kaieteur News. Finance Secretary Nirmal Rehaka has also confirmed that all contracts awarded to Digital Technology have followed all applicable tender procedures. Further, the Ministry of Education quoted the Head of the University of Guyana Information Technology Department (Turkeyen Campus), Raymond Khan, and the Director of the Berbice Campus Professor Daizal Samad, as saying that the computers supplied to the university campuses are of good quality and are working well.
A senior University source had told Kaieteur News that one of the reasons why the University stopped by buying from the company directly and started to source from Dell was because of faulty equipment. The Ministry however continued to source computers for the University from Digital Technology, but the equipment were not checked upon delivery to ensure they complied with the required specifications. On Friday, sources told Kaieteur News that officials from the Ministry touched down at the University’s Berbice campus to take details regarding computers that were supplied to that campus a while back. In addition, the officials were also Friday at the University’s Turkeyen campus, taking details about computers that were delivered by the company since last December. It appears that no checks were carried out on the equipment that were delivered to the University. Kaieteur News understands that an estimated 30 computers with equipment were dropped off at the University since last December, but the Ministry of Education officials were only Friday verifying the equipment following revelations about the company.
On the equipment supplied to the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Education Ministry quoted the Permanent Secretary Edward Wills as saying the there have been no reports of any defects. The Ministry of Education quoted Finance Secretary Nirmal Rekha as saying that all contracts awarded to Digital Technology have followed all applicable tender procedures. The Ministry, which has jumped to defend Digital Technology and the award of contracts to that company, restated that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board is the authority responsible for the evaluation and the award of contracts.
Tenders are opened publicly, evaluated by a committee appointed by the board which makes reports and recommendations, and an award is finally made by the board. At a press conference Minister Baksh called with Minister of Finance Ashni Singh, they both said that the Board does not go checking on the information submitted by bidders.
Source
quote:Tenders are opened publicly, evaluated by a committee appointed by the board which makes reports and recommendations, and an award is finally made by the board. At a press conference Minister Baksh called with Minister of Finance Ashni Singh, they both said that the Board does not go checking on the information submitted by bidders.
The most corrupt tendering process I have ever heard of.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by Mr.T:quote:Tenders are opened publicly, evaluated by a committee appointed by the board which makes reports and recommendations, and an award is finally made by the board. At a press conference Minister Baksh called with Minister of Finance Ashni Singh, they both said that the Board does not go checking on the information submitted by bidders.
The most corrupt tendering process I have ever heard of.
Why you sound so surprise???
quote:Originally posted by baseman:quote:Originally posted by Mr.T:quote:Tenders are opened publicly, evaluated by a committee appointed by the board which makes reports and recommendations, and an award is finally made by the board. At a press conference Minister Baksh called with Minister of Finance Ashni Singh, they both said that the Board does not go checking on the information submitted by bidders.
The most corrupt tendering process I have ever heard of.
Why you sound so surprise???
The proper tendering process involves looking into whether each bidder is able to deliver at the price and the time scale in the contract, and the work is done properly.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by Mr.T:quote:Originally posted by baseman:
The most corrupt tendering process I have ever heard of.
Why you sound so surprise???
The proper tendering process involves looking into whether each bidder is able to deliver at the price and the time scale in the contract, and the work is done properly.[/QUOTE]
I understand that, I have evaluated tenders before. My question, why are you surpeised that the GoG runs a corrupted process?
The reason I am surprised is because albert and friends regularly tell us how much money is allocated or has been spent to improve Guyana, but then it turns out that there are no ways or means to find out if any of the money was actually spent on doing the job the tender was for.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by Mr.T:
The reason I am surprised is because albert and friends regularly tell us how much money is allocated or has been spent to improve Guyana, but then it turns out that there are no ways or means to find out if any of the money was actually spent on doing the job the tender was for.
And you surprise! Why you think the WB holding back on funds bai.
TK_REDUX (Guest)
THis is how they build up the oligarchy. I wonder what was the kick-back tax here? 20%?
quote:Originally posted by TK_REDUX:
I wonder what was the kick-back tax here? 20%?
Is that in total, or just for Jagdeo?
Former Member
Minister Baksh lied - Education Ministry approved $223M computer contract
JULY 27, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Minister Shaik Baksh
On Monday, the Ministry of Education issued the following statement. “The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board is the authority responsible for the evaluation and the award of contracts. Tenders are opened publicly, evaluated by a committee appointed by the board which makes reports and recommendations, and an award is finally made by the board. “The Ministry of Education reiterates for the umpteenth time that it does not award or grant contracts.” This statement issued by the Education Ministry on Monday was based on reports about a $223M contract awarded to Digital Technology for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to the Ministry of Education.
On Thursday, Minister Shaik Baksh, at a Press Conference that was televised, said that his Ministry does not award contracts. He explained that contracts are awarded by the tender board after scrutiny by an Evaluation Committee. Indeed, tenders are assessed by the Tender Board but the evaluation of these tenders is done in most cases by an Evaluation Committee which is headed by the Permanent Secretary in the particular Ministry for which the contract is awarded, in this case Minister Baksh did not explain this. When the Education Ministry sought the tender for the computers and after the tender board approved the various tenders, the Ministry of Education itself then became involved in the assessment. In this case, Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Pulandar Kandhi, was the head of the Assessment Committee for the computer contracts. And his office is separated from the Minister’s by a wall and a door.
Asked to comment on the role of the Permanent Secretary, a critic said that this is similar to a man seeking to build a house and allows his son to select the contractor that the father identifies. The tender is opened and the son is asked to evaluate all the bids and to pick the contractor. It is clear that the Ministry of Education was the deciding entity in the award of the $223M contract, the critic said.
When asked about due diligence, Minister Baksh said that there was no need to do that since the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had already done one a few weeks prior for the $70M contract that was awarded. But the $223M contract was awarded before the $70M contract by the Caribbean Development Bank. This means Minister Baksh lied.
Minister Baksh last Thursday said that the company, Digital Technology, received government contracts as far back as 2002. This suggested that Digital Technology received contracts even before it existed, whether as a sole trader or as fully incorporated company. The Minister of Education is yet to explain how this is so, and to provide the full list of 38 contracts given to the company since then. The last registration of Digital Technology as a business was in June 2008. Digital Technology was incorporated as a full company, with directors and shareholders in June 2009.
On July 13, Digital Technology Group of Companies (as it was registered in Guyana) was awarded a contract valued at $223 million for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to 70 schools across the country. The Education Ministry awarded a further $70 million to the same company to provide more computers, plus servers and overhead projectors. On December 8, 2010, Digital Technology was written to by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, which falls under the Ministry of Legal Affairs, regarding its breach of the Companies Act. The company was found to be in default of lodging with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies a number of documents. These included Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Accounts and Auditor’s Report for 2010. The company was given 28 days to submit the said documents or risk being struck off the register. In that same year, 2010, the company was given a $37 million contract to supply computers and accessories to the Ministry of Finance.
Source
JULY 27, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Minister Shaik Baksh
On Monday, the Ministry of Education issued the following statement. “The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board is the authority responsible for the evaluation and the award of contracts. Tenders are opened publicly, evaluated by a committee appointed by the board which makes reports and recommendations, and an award is finally made by the board. “The Ministry of Education reiterates for the umpteenth time that it does not award or grant contracts.” This statement issued by the Education Ministry on Monday was based on reports about a $223M contract awarded to Digital Technology for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to the Ministry of Education.
On Thursday, Minister Shaik Baksh, at a Press Conference that was televised, said that his Ministry does not award contracts. He explained that contracts are awarded by the tender board after scrutiny by an Evaluation Committee. Indeed, tenders are assessed by the Tender Board but the evaluation of these tenders is done in most cases by an Evaluation Committee which is headed by the Permanent Secretary in the particular Ministry for which the contract is awarded, in this case Minister Baksh did not explain this. When the Education Ministry sought the tender for the computers and after the tender board approved the various tenders, the Ministry of Education itself then became involved in the assessment. In this case, Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Pulandar Kandhi, was the head of the Assessment Committee for the computer contracts. And his office is separated from the Minister’s by a wall and a door.
Asked to comment on the role of the Permanent Secretary, a critic said that this is similar to a man seeking to build a house and allows his son to select the contractor that the father identifies. The tender is opened and the son is asked to evaluate all the bids and to pick the contractor. It is clear that the Ministry of Education was the deciding entity in the award of the $223M contract, the critic said.
When asked about due diligence, Minister Baksh said that there was no need to do that since the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had already done one a few weeks prior for the $70M contract that was awarded. But the $223M contract was awarded before the $70M contract by the Caribbean Development Bank. This means Minister Baksh lied.
Minister Baksh last Thursday said that the company, Digital Technology, received government contracts as far back as 2002. This suggested that Digital Technology received contracts even before it existed, whether as a sole trader or as fully incorporated company. The Minister of Education is yet to explain how this is so, and to provide the full list of 38 contracts given to the company since then. The last registration of Digital Technology as a business was in June 2008. Digital Technology was incorporated as a full company, with directors and shareholders in June 2009.
On July 13, Digital Technology Group of Companies (as it was registered in Guyana) was awarded a contract valued at $223 million for the supply of 1,400 desktop computers to 70 schools across the country. The Education Ministry awarded a further $70 million to the same company to provide more computers, plus servers and overhead projectors. On December 8, 2010, Digital Technology was written to by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, which falls under the Ministry of Legal Affairs, regarding its breach of the Companies Act. The company was found to be in default of lodging with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies a number of documents. These included Annual Returns, Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Accounts and Auditor’s Report for 2010. The company was given 28 days to submit the said documents or risk being struck off the register. In that same year, 2010, the company was given a $37 million contract to supply computers and accessories to the Ministry of Finance.
Source
Former Member
I will be dealing with this at the AFC press conference in 45 mins from now, and then I am headed up to for an AFC bottomhouse meeting in Blairmont.
quote:Originally posted by Gerhard Ramsaroop:
Minister Shaik Baksh
You can tell when a man is lying. He looks sideways when his lips are moving. Why are his eyes so red /pink?
Former Member
Come on, how you know he was not addressing somone on the side. What does red/pink eyes have to do with anything. Maybe he gatt allergies. 
TK_REDUX (Guest)
Mr T the World Bank estimated a 20% kick-back tax. You see not all investors will be willing to pay. So they find these "business men" aka friends/families of the party who will. Meanwhile, this leads to inefficiency and stagnation...the oligarchs get cash to deposit under secret accounts in India...the masses grind it out in poverty after 19 years of PPP rule.
Former Member
quote:Originally posted by TK_REDUX:
Mr T the World Bank estimated a 20% kick-back tax. You see not all investors will be willing to pay. So they find these "business men" aka friends/families of the party who will. Meanwhile, this leads to inefficiency and stagnation...the oligarchs get cash to deposit under secret accounts in India...the masses grind it out in poverty after 19 years of PPP rule.
U know that India story. True True. The pharmaceutical man is the money washer and that local bank opens the numbered accounts for them. What is the name of the bank again - Bank xx xxxxxx
Former Member
Baksh refuses to list 38 contracts to Digital Technology - ‘Barber shop’ computer contract scandal
JULY 28, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Shaik Baksh
Education Minister Shaik Baksh has refused to list the 38 contracts handed to Digital Technology, after it was found that his own admission confirms that the company was given contracts even before it existed. At a press conference yesterday at the Office of the President, Baksh accused Kaieteur of a blatant lie when this newspaper reported that Digital Technology only became a company in 2009, and therefore did not meet the three-year requirement of the tender process to be awarded the multi-million dollar computer contracts it was given.
Kaieteur News has already made public the certificate which proves this. The company later explained that it operated as a sole proprietor entity since 2003. The Education Ministry has also sought to prove this by a statement from the Registrar of Business Names. Kaieteur News has not denied this, but has sought to explain the difference between the company being a regular business and a company. With a regular business, the sort of compliance required of the tender process is not required of ordinary businesses, whereas with a company, an array of financial documents need to be lodged. Digital Technology was found to be in default of the Companies Act in 2010, the same year it also received Government contracts.
The Education Minister last Thursday said that he was in possession of the 38 contracts since 2002, but when asked yesterday why he wasn’t prepared to disclose them, he said this newspaper could get that information by writing a letter to the National Procurement and Tender Board. Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Pulandar Kandhi, was the head of the Assessment Committee for the computer contracts. And his office is separated from the Minister’s by a wall and a door.
Baksh said that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board is the authority responsible for the evaluation and the awarding of contracts and as such, decides whom they want to put to head any assessment committee. Baksh also made an issue of when the contracts were awarded.
When Minister Baksh was asked about due diligence last Thursday, Minister Baksh said that there was no need to do that since the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had already conducted due diligence prior for the $70M contract that was awarded. This newspaper has stated that the $223M contract was awarded before the $70M contract by the Caribbean Development Bank. Baksh sought to dispute this. He said that it was the $70 million contract to Digital Technology that was awarded before. According to him, this was done on April 20, 2011. He said the tender board awarded the $223 million contract on July 12, 2011.
However, taking the Minister’s word for granted, the contracts actually never came into effect in the order Minister Baksh suggested. In fact, it was the $223 million contract that was signed and handed over to Digital Technology on July 13 – one day after Baksh claimed it was awarded by the tender board. The US$70 million contract was only announced on July 18, when other contracts were signed. Digital Technology in Guyana is in fact listed as the Caribbean and Latin America Office of a company that goes by the name Digital Waves Technology Inc., which has as its Head Office this address: 3154 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11208. Checks by this newspaper revealed that this address housed a company called Assets Realty Inc. a few months ago and is today the “Antonio and Martin Barber Shop.”
In Guyana, the company’s local address is 54 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara. This address is part of a business complex at Grove, which did not have a single computer to sell recently when a Kaieteur News reporter researching bidders for the government’s One Laptop Per Family project visited. The reporter was directed to the company’s office in Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, and the result was no different.
Source
JULY 28, 2011 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Shaik Baksh
Education Minister Shaik Baksh has refused to list the 38 contracts handed to Digital Technology, after it was found that his own admission confirms that the company was given contracts even before it existed. At a press conference yesterday at the Office of the President, Baksh accused Kaieteur of a blatant lie when this newspaper reported that Digital Technology only became a company in 2009, and therefore did not meet the three-year requirement of the tender process to be awarded the multi-million dollar computer contracts it was given.
Kaieteur News has already made public the certificate which proves this. The company later explained that it operated as a sole proprietor entity since 2003. The Education Ministry has also sought to prove this by a statement from the Registrar of Business Names. Kaieteur News has not denied this, but has sought to explain the difference between the company being a regular business and a company. With a regular business, the sort of compliance required of the tender process is not required of ordinary businesses, whereas with a company, an array of financial documents need to be lodged. Digital Technology was found to be in default of the Companies Act in 2010, the same year it also received Government contracts.
The Education Minister last Thursday said that he was in possession of the 38 contracts since 2002, but when asked yesterday why he wasn’t prepared to disclose them, he said this newspaper could get that information by writing a letter to the National Procurement and Tender Board. Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Pulandar Kandhi, was the head of the Assessment Committee for the computer contracts. And his office is separated from the Minister’s by a wall and a door.
Baksh said that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board is the authority responsible for the evaluation and the awarding of contracts and as such, decides whom they want to put to head any assessment committee. Baksh also made an issue of when the contracts were awarded.
When Minister Baksh was asked about due diligence last Thursday, Minister Baksh said that there was no need to do that since the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had already conducted due diligence prior for the $70M contract that was awarded. This newspaper has stated that the $223M contract was awarded before the $70M contract by the Caribbean Development Bank. Baksh sought to dispute this. He said that it was the $70 million contract to Digital Technology that was awarded before. According to him, this was done on April 20, 2011. He said the tender board awarded the $223 million contract on July 12, 2011.
However, taking the Minister’s word for granted, the contracts actually never came into effect in the order Minister Baksh suggested. In fact, it was the $223 million contract that was signed and handed over to Digital Technology on July 13 – one day after Baksh claimed it was awarded by the tender board. The US$70 million contract was only announced on July 18, when other contracts were signed. Digital Technology in Guyana is in fact listed as the Caribbean and Latin America Office of a company that goes by the name Digital Waves Technology Inc., which has as its Head Office this address: 3154 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11208. Checks by this newspaper revealed that this address housed a company called Assets Realty Inc. a few months ago and is today the “Antonio and Martin Barber Shop.”
In Guyana, the company’s local address is 54 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara. This address is part of a business complex at Grove, which did not have a single computer to sell recently when a Kaieteur News reporter researching bidders for the government’s One Laptop Per Family project visited. The reporter was directed to the company’s office in Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, and the result was no different.
Source
Former Member
This issue represents on one of the main reasons many ethical entrepreneurs refuse to invest in Guyana.
The playing field is not level.
The playing field is not level.
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