The Guyana Association of Private Security Organisations (GAPSO) on Monday accused authorities of secretly farming out contracts to three security companies, but at least one of the awardees denied that he benefited from a sweetheart deal.

“For them to think that I would sink as low in some form of corrupt transaction is demeaning to myself as an honourable Guyanese, as a religionist and as a man who try to live with high moral principles,” Head of RK’s Security Services, Roshan Khan told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com).

GAPSO expressed grave concern that there was no advertisement in the newspapers or on the E-Procure website for the provision of security services yet tenders were opened for their provision throughout Regions 2,3,4,5, 6 and  10 and also Regions 1, 7, 8,  and 9. The three services that tendered were Strategic Action Security, Homesafe Security and RK’s Guyana Security Services.

“It would appear that this was an inside arrangement, and that these three companies were secretly notified.  It is strange to think that with over twenty contract security companies in Guyana, only three would be interested in such large projects,” stated GAPSO.

GAPSO Executive member, George Gomes said his organisation has written to President Donald Ramotar, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Shadow Home Affairs Minister Winston Felix and the Alliance For Change (AFC). Gomes said the association was demanding that the tenders be re-advertised publicly to allow all interested companies an opportunity to tender. “Favouritism must not be allowed to continue,” he said.

DemWaves was later told that the advertisement was placed on a Friday and the deadline was the following Tuesday which meant that they had little time to prepare their bids.

Khan insisted the invitation for bids was published in the Guyana Chronicle during January and he could not be held responsible for those who have boycotted that state-owned newspaper. “The tender was published but a lot of these guys who are anti-government (not pro-opposition) have boycotted the Chronicle and they are not reading the Chronicle,” he said.

Well-placed sources say the Chronicle’s circulation is around 5,000 copies on weekdays and 10,000 on Sundays. That newspaper’s sales have plummeted ever since the opposition had called for a boycott of the paper on grounds of biased reporting.

GAPSO said that none of the companies that attended GAPSO’s monthly meeting on  Thursday 31 Jan, 2013, knew of any publication in any newspaper or Government  website requesting tenders for these projects.

The association said Strategic Action and Homesafe Security are not among its members.

“The members of GAPSO are legally registered security services and we all pay our taxes as required by law. It is very unfair and unjust to us to be deliberately shut out of a process that involves taxpayers money,” the body said in a statement.

The association said it noted the attempt in 2013 to separate the coastal regions from the interior regions. GAPSO recommended that each region’s requirements be tendered for individually rather than as a block. “With this method, a smaller but more professional company would stand a better chance of being awarded a contract,” added GAPSO.

The issue over the award of contracts has also led to a tit-for-tat with the RK Security boss accusing GAPSO’s executive of being “anti-government” and Gomes charging that the three security companies having strong ties to the government.

Khan said GAPSO did not even have the courtesy to call him about their conspiracy. He plans to take legal action against GAPSO and the security companies that they represent.