Search any news archive for the name Imer Hernandez and you'll see a whole bunch of political bombast directed at the man who was the top road works contractor under the UDP. The opposition PUP maligned him in every way possible, as a corny for being Gaspar Vega's nephew, for doing questionable work, and for supposedly being part of the UDP hustle-ocracy. This was a campaign waged over many years - but, to his credit, Hernandez never reacted publicly, or never shied away from making more and bigger bids - which eventually landed him two of the biggest roadworks contracts in Belize's history: The Coastal Road and Caracol.
And after PUP won, he's still the contractor for these international projects. And yesterday when the Coastal road was proudly opened by the PUP, Imer Hernandez was there for the handshake. Jules Vasquez looks at the arc of Imer:
When Imer Hernandez gave this thumbs up yesterday - it was well earned - as if to say, he'd made it, survived a firestorm of controversy, name calling and reputational takedowns.
And at yesterday's groundbreaking, it was confirmation that by just keeping his head down through all the noise, he had survived it to still cash in on one of the biggest public works contracts ever. And he did it going into a headwind, and an international smear campaign and
Even a little protest in Belmopan in 2020 - check the sign being carried by Rodwell Ferguson:
February, 2020
John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"The government of Belize proudly announced that they have signed 2 contracts for the paving of the Coastal Road totalling $133,192,025.14. And guess who gets it? Imer Hernandez and Company."
"I am calling not he British to review their decision based on the track record of this company of Imer Hernandez and Company and the allegations of impropriety."
"I also call on the Caribbean Development Bank. They should know better man!"
posted (February 24, 2020)
Jules Vasquez
"One of the contractors in that consortium has been widely criticized in Belize for what I have seen as manifestly substandard work."
Steve Kosseff, Head, DFID Caribbean
"Okay, so all of the procurement is done in accordance with the highest procurement standards. CDB has incredibly stringent procurement guidelines and in deed in the context on this particular procurement was able to provide a no objection each stage of the process."
Jules Vasquez
"So you are confident that the 36 miles we will see here will be of a standard that you would drive on in the UK?"
Steve Kosseff, Head, DFID Caribbean
"Very much so."
Jules Vasquez
"There are concerns that Mr. Imer Hernandez's work is consistently sub-par and his involvement in this project has somewhat undermined the public confidence in the expectations that the road will meet the specifications you discussed."
Daniel Best, Director, Projects - CDB
"The entire procurement process for this project would have gone through our procurement guidelines with a full review which matches international best practice, so all the contractors and consultants on this project would have gone through a full procurement screening."
Well, the leader of the opposition does have a problem, more than one, actually. And he has written to the Chairman of the CDB Board of Governors and the British High Commissioner to caution them.
He points out that the Finance and Audit Reform Act requires that the Contract for this Project be taken to the National Assembly within thirty days of its execution. Briceno notes that the contract was signed on the second December 2019 and has still not been tabled in the National Assembly.
He also points out that the contract was not perused by the Contractor General because there was none in office.
February, 2020
Eamon Courtenay, PUP Senator
"Yesterday, Mr. Best and Mr. Kossef told the Belizean people that they complied with all the legal requirements for the award of that contract. That is a lie, it is untrue and I am saying to the British government and to the Caribbean Development Bank, they are participating in an unlawful exercise."
"And they are aiding and abetting a criminal enterprise."
John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"That the new PUP government will review these contracts with a view of cancelling these contracts."
But, nothing was cancelled, nothing could be cancelled.
Imer Hernandez kept quiet and stayed the court and yesterday he saw it to completion, the richest road ever was opened, and he earned this perhaps grudging, perhaps perfunctory handshake from his one time nemesis turned contractee - CHA-CHING and Imer for the win.
Under the PUP, the quantum of the Coastal Plain Highway was reduced from 130 million to 124 million dollars.
