-beleaguered Belle Vue pump station only at 29%
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha yesterday told the Parliamentary Committee of Supply that the government has blacklisted 30 delinquent contractors and is shifting focus toward mobile and hydro-pump systems.
Answering questions from the opposition on drainage and irrigation infrastructure for the 2026 fiscal year, Mustapha reported varying levels of progress on critical projects in Region Three. The Meten-Meer-Zorg pump station is currently 83% complete, with the Minister expressing hope for its finalization within two months despite previous technical difficulties.
In contrast, the controversial Belle Vue pump station stands at just 29% complete following its award to a social media influencer friend of the government who had not undertaken such work before. The contract had been signed in September 2023 with a duration of 18 months.
Mustapha affirmed that the project has now been subcontracted to Gaico Engineering through an arrangement with the original contractor, Tepui Group Inc which is headed by Mikhail Rodrigues.
Mustapha also noted that the Jimbo Grove and Black Bush Polder pump stations are 78% and 87% complete, respectively. However, the contract for the Letter Kenny pump station was terminated due to poor performance and has since been re-tendered and awarded to a new firm, Quality Delivery.
APNU MP Ganesh Mahipaul questioned the government’s stance on the Belle Vue project, particularly the subcontracting to Gaico Engineering for the $865 million contract. Mustapha maintained that the original contract legally allowed for subcontracting and that the Tepui Group remains the primary party held accountable.
“Initially, excavation work was done [by Tepui]… but we will hold him accountable all the time,” Mustapha said. He added that the Ministry is ensuring all performance bonds are kept current to recoup any costs should the contractor fail to abide by the agreement.
The Minister revealed that the government has taken a “deliberate decision” to move away from future fixed pump stations in favour of mobile and hydro-pumps. This shift, he stated, follows the realization that fixed stations often encounter unforeseen site vulnerabilities that were not captured in initial studies.
In a move, he says, is an attempt to strengthen project management, Mustapha disclosed that his ministry has written to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to blacklist approximately 30 delinquent contractors. “We listed approximately 30 contractors that we said that we don’t want to do business with them anymore,” the Minister stated. However, when Mahipaul asked for the names of the delinquent contractors, there was no response.
Addressing the 2026 budget increase for retention and new projects, Mustapha announced that nearly 200 new interventions are slated for this year. This includes the construction of high-level “Hope-like” canals. Notably, the canal planned for Region Three will be “dual-purpose,” serving both as a 24-hour drainage outlet to the Atlantic and as an irrigation storage system to support farmers during dry weather cycles.
