Larry London heads inactive Florida company paid to print birth certificates

APNU+AFC supporter Larry London, who was paid $500,000 separately for a Director of Parks position even though he was out of Guyana and also spearheaded the controversial Durban Park project, was also the President and Secretary of a now inactive Florida-registered company which was paid to print birth certificates.

Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira had raised concerns earlier on Monday over the arrangement, saying that the former government had moved away from the longstanding practice of using local printers to produce Guyanese birth certificates.

Some 100,000 birth certificates were reportedly ordered from the company between 2019 and 2020 and paid $23M.

Teixeira was particularly concerned the contract was signed by an APNU+AFC supporter Larry London who is also the controversial coordinator of the D’Urban Park project which was shrouded in secrecy and financial impropriety.

Teixeira in confirming that the contract was signed by London said she was unsure of the due diligence done before hiring the company.

The News Room upon further investigation found that the company – Universal Procurement Services Inc. – was filed as a Domestic For-Profit Corporation in the State of Florida and is no longer active.

This corporate entity was filed on February 14, 2007 as recorded in documents filed with Florida Department of State.

There are a couple of officers known to have been associated with this organization, including Donna London who is also listed as President, Roger Simon as Director, Victor D. Wilson as Secretary, and Lyndon Rohlehr and Diedre Downer as the other Directors

It was revealed when the government changed in August that London was also hired by the APNU+AFC government as Director of Parks, although he was resident abroad, receiving a net salary of $500,000 per month and his electricity, internet, and telephone bills were paid for by the State.

He also had guards at his home, a driver and a car, duty-free allowance for the highest grade of vehicle, and a gratuity of 22.5 percent every six months.