The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has taken issue with the fact that VideoMega Productions — a production company owned by Minister of Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes —has been “handpicked” for and awarded a multi-million dollar contract from the Department of Energy. But the Department of Energy is insisting that the entire process was aboveboard.
The contract is for the production of brochures, as well as radio and TV public service announcements for the Department of Energy.
PPP said, “We have learnt that the company was handpicked as there was no public tendering for the project.” PPP Executive Member, Gail Teixeira, in a video released from the PPP, was keen to note that the company is under the control of Hughes and Beverly Alert, a high ranking member of the AFC who also sits on numerous government boards.
While PPP noted that there was no tendering, Teixeira said, “Whether it was awarded by tender one does not know.” However, she said that what is known is that VideoMega was given “major contracts” by APNU and AFC during the 2015 elections to produce campaign materials.
She said, “One has to wonder whether at this point the contract for VideoMega relates to campaign materials that will be used by the APNU+AFC with regards to elections.”
Furthermore, Teixeira noted that Hughes is listed as Managing Director of the company on its website despite the fact that she has been a minister for over four years now.
Guyana Standard was able to contact Head of the Department of Energy, Mark Bynoe who discredited claims that the contract was “handed” to VideoMega without due process.
He said, “Let me tell you, the Department of Energy continues to follow due process. We are not here for political reasons. We serve the people of Guyana. That is all I have to say on this matter.”
