WHILE ADMITTING to being 'genetically' linked to the People's National Party (PNP), St. Ann businessman, Denzil McDonald has dismissed claims that the $84 million he received from the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) over a two-year period was on the basis of party affiliation.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Gleaner from the grounds of his Melrose Farms Estate in Claremont, St. Ann, Mr. McDonald said that while the size of his contract with the NSWMA has predictably raised many eyebrows, "there is no denying that the agency has been getting value for money."
"They came to me, I didn't go to them," Mr. McDonald said. "I was contacted by Metropolitan Parks and Markets about wanting to hire two pieces of my equipment to use on the landfill at Riverton City. At first when I heard about Riverton City, I was terrified and indicated to them that I had no interest in working there. They expressed to me the urgency of the situation, stressing that without the equipment, they were looking at a major catastrophe. I did some investigation and was assured by persons on the ground that the security issues surrounding Riverton had been exaggerated."
Mr. McDonald said that following the assurances, he sent his equipment a D9 bulldozer and a 966E front-end loader over for immediate use. He described his D9 bulldozer as one which has a production blade and which is much bigger than a normal D9 blade. This, according to him, enables the machine to push a lot more material than an ordinary D9 bulldozer.
Mr. McDonald said he later negotiated his payment fees with then Acting Managing Director, Lloyd Thomas at what he described as 'current market rate'. He said Mr. Thomas expressed an interest in wanting the equipment to remain on the site for at least one month.
The NSWMA and its beleaguered chairman, Alston Stewart, have been under pressure over the past few weeks for what some say has been a lack of transparency, especially when it comes to the awarding of contracts at the agency. The situation was further compounded by the disclosure by the auditor-general that the NSWMA has failed to turn over to his department financial statements for the past two years. Local Government Minister, Portia Simpson Miller has since ordered a probe.
But armed with financial documents that he said were from local and overseas suppliers, Mr. McDonald said while he would readily admit that the arrangement with the NSWMA was strictly business, "I don't want people to think that all I did was pocketed $84 million without doing any work. See for yourself, I have nothing to hide," he said, while giving The Sunday Gleaner access to the documents.
"The cost per day for gas oil alone is a little over $35,000 or better yet $12.7 million annually. When you further tally engine oil, gear oil, electrical parts and work, service men and mechanic, overseas suppliers including freight and duties, my annual expense is in excess of $33 million."
Pressed though on whether, despite how the arrangement started, others should have been given the opportunity to bid for the contract, Mr. McDonald reiterated that he had been called in to do a job and was never a part of any decision making.
"I am all for transparency", he said. "I also believe in the tendering process where contracts are concerned, and that persons shouldn't get job only because they are connected to the government. But the reality here is that I was contracted on the basis of how well we responded to the emergency situation at Riverton. Metropolitan Parks and Market asked me to stay on because they were impressed with the job I was doing."
But did his PNP affiliation made that decision a lot easier?. "I make no apologies that I am a supporter of the Peoples National Party", he stressed. "Actually, supporter is an understatement. I'm genetically tied to the PNP. I am however saying that I got this contract strictly on the basis of competence as I did not know any of the individuals at the agency until I got there. I must also make the point that the business of collecting solid waste is not a glamour job. People have been known to get killed while doing this. I would also like the public to know that approximately 400 trucks dump garbage on the landfill on a daily basis. Whenever my equipment is not working, the trucks are backed up in long line, unable to get rid of their loads. This simply means I have to ensure that my equipment is properly maintained at all times".
And regarding the allegations of cronyism and suggestions that the two pieces of equipment he spoke of were actually co-owned by Alston Stewart, Mr. McDonald said the charges were "nothing short of malicious".
"As it is right now, I am owed for eight fortnights worth of work or the equivalent of four months. Mr. Stewart would have to be a fool in not wanting to pay himself first. I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation".
He continued: "I have had my D-9 bulldozers long before I met Mr. Stewart. As a matter of fact they were being used at Solid Waste at least nine months before I met him. I have a serious problem with the word cronyism. In fact, I find it to be very derogatory. If we have the evidence that I am not competent to do this work then that I could understand, but nobody can make that charge therefore to link what I am doing at Riverton with my party affiliation is wrong. I work very hard at what I am doing and I would implore the media to go talk to the people in Riverton City". Mr. Stewart last week also denied that he was a part owner of the D-9 units.
Asked whether he felt victimised or whether there was any truth to the suggestion that there was a political agenda at work in wanting to see his Riverton City contract terminated, Mr. McDonald said while he has some "serious questions" about the sudden scrutiny into his dealings with the NSWMA, "It is very difficult for me to say or pin point anything".
And is there a problem at Solid Waste or has everything been blown out of proportion? "From my vantage point I don't see a problem", he said. "However, my job is to deal with what is on the ground. I am not a part of the bureaucracy so maybe the question is not for me to answer".
