Million dollar baby: National Quarries consultant eclipses Bill Gates

Meet Trinidad and Tobago’s technology wizard, 26-year-old Ted Peralta; the man who put United States technology magnate and the world’s second richest man Bill Gates out of work.

Peralta, according to an Asha Javeed report in today’s Trinidad Express, won a $1.3 million contract to service National Quarries’ technological needs. In the process, the local whiz kid beat out a rival bid from Microsoft.

Peralta’s company, Alternica Caribbean, was only registered in 2011. Who would think Peralta would have usurped one of the globe’s most famous technology companies in two years?

Photo: Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates is the second richest man in the world. But then Ted Peralta is just getting started.
Photo: Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates is the second richest man in the world.
But then Ted Peralta is just getting started.

Probably none of his former classmates or teachers did, since Peralta graduated as a mechanical engineer and has no formal technology training worth mentioning on his Linked-in or Facebook CVs.

Even more remarkably, National Quarries uses Microsoft as its internal technology system. So National Quarries chairman Mitra Ramkhelawan decided that a two-year-old technology company run by a mechanical engineer knows Microsoft better than, well, Microsoft.

Ramkhelawan told the Express that he went with Peralta because he was a young man who “wanted to get job done.” The chairman did not say what Microsoft or any of the other rival companies wanted to do with the job.

To be fair to Ramkhelawan, his selection was not a stab in the dark. Peralta is actually employed by Ramkhelawan’s own company, Trius Medical Sales and Services, as a bio-medical engineer and was also hired by National Quarries as a project engineer consultant.

Coincidentally, Peralta registered Alternica Caribbean at about the same time that his boss, Ramkhelewan, became chairman at National Quarries.

Photo: Ted Peralta has more roles at National Quarries than Tyler Perry has in most of his own movies.
Photo: Ted Peralta has more roles at National Quarries than Tyler Perry has in most of his own movies.

Whoever says Trinidad and Tobago lacks entrepreneurial spirit should scrutinise the contracts awarded by State companies.

Mr Live Wire thinks Peralta’s meteoric rise from mechanical engineering student to million dollar technology contractor and National Quarries trouble-shooter is further evidence that, contrary to Dana Seetahal’s lecture to Beetham Garden residents, our children’s future is not related to their book bags; it is about who is on their My Lime or What’s App list.

Or, to put it another way, not even Bill Gates can get a job in Trinidad and Tobago unless he has a friend on a State board.

 

Editor’s Note: Mitra Ramkhelewan was removed as National Quarries chairman in just over a month after Trinidad Express reporter Asha Javeed’s exclusives into the suspicious activities of the State body.

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77 comments

  1. You’re a “mixed breed” and “neither a rapist nor a racist” Dennis? Is that on your calling cards? Lol.
    That was a strange response.

  2. Ian it’s easy to smoke them out and once you shine a flashlight on them all they can do is cuss, get personal, empty vessels make the most noise. Dennis Singh has exposed himself and been exposed. His response is predictable and typical. They can’t handle the truth because they aren’t used to it. He had no useful contribution to make, just background noise. Bullshit from a bullshitter.

  3. Dennis Singh, I am simply Ian Brooks .I never spoke about voting nor type of breed.I never spoke of you not speaking the truth nor any issues of rapist nor racist.I however appreciate your higher uneducated and reiterate my request on information on Rowley and the others. Information is key.Thanks.

  4. Ian Brooks or who the hell you are I have stopped voting for quite a while. By the way I have a “higher uneducation”. I am a mixed breed and try to talk the truth, that’s my credentials.I am neither a rapist nor a racist.

  5. William,the Dennis Singh’swill call him Rowley not Dr Rowley but wii call the fakes Dr.Rambachan.He got /purchased his Doctorate from where again?????Such is their nature.False credentials crew.DS ,are you also lettered?BTW send the info on Rowley and if you may the others in the last 5 years. Pleaseeeeee.

  6. Wow Dennis Singh thanks for your timely intervention. Doesn’t Rowley qualify as a Mr, or is that only reserved for George Chambers? Please tell all, don’t keep us in suspense? We can’t wait? And only 1991 you say, Toppin could do much better than that but please share it post haste, the suspense is killing me, tell us about Rowley, spill the beans?

  7. If one more person speaks to previous administration corruption, don’t wait for someone to pit you out of you misery just do it yourself. Its almost as if you are condining this filth. We voted to change and all of that good stuff; turn the page, accountablity in government blah blah blah. Yet here we are again reading another article the speaks to firmly entrenched corruption and unwavering; because if given another shot at the treasury, the building itself may disappear. Also note how young the recipient. Why would he want to go work hard and honestly for his daily bread now that he’s had a taste of easy, illegal money

  8. I just remember when Rowley was the GM of National Quarries Mr George Chambers had to refinance the company. Where did the money go? Since 1991 I have some not good information on this questionable character.

  9. You know, I thought about this the other day.

  10. very well done Asha Javeed a very brave thing to do. Lasana that’s the unknown unknowns. It’s safe to assume that every project is tainted, my hope is that it hasn’t comprised health and safety. We want to be assured that bridges and buildings won’t collapse even if the cost is doubled or quadrupled.

  11. All governments suffer a recurring problem. Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts, but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.

  12. This is so stupid it’s laughable

  13. There was too much for the press to cover adequately. For every one they caught, God knows how many escaped… Good job btw Asha Javeed

  14. Thanks for the memories Lasana eeven though a mimilmillion is small change these days. Of course corruption didn’t start with this administration but they have perfected the art. They’re like Brazil 70, they’re simply much better at it than the rest. At some point in the future we will know the true cost to the country, not only financially but ethically and morally. Money is god irrespective of how it is obtained. The outcome of the corruption is that we have the government doesn’t protect us and prevents us from protecting ourselves. That’s what happens when systems are circumvented. I say it again it’s not a victimless crime and the sums involved are astronomical. Corruption is killing us as surely as any bandit, as in the case of Lifesport, bandit politics.

  15. Lasana….hear nah….completely forgot about this one…..lawd….

    #sept7comefass

  16. yeah and nothing will come out of this too, someone buy me a sniper riffle

  17. Getting so tired of these ….when will it end!

  18. Same ole bullsh-t another padded pocket with OUR money for a partner with kick backs in order…..
    These governments have us for slaughter, steal our money while they in power and even when they no longer in power……
    That pensions legislation is utter madness, now, now I want a government job or contract. …..
    I want to tief too….
    Let ALL AH WE TIEF……
    Not jus frien

  19. I thought it was a famous Portuguese striker for a minute there, Lasana 🙂 I suppose he did strike gold as well, so there.

  20. I know and I fully agree, but watching people in and close to government engage in blatant corruption with such impunity at times is just too much for me.
    Sometimes I don’t know if I’m more angry and disappointed in them for being corrupt or in us for being so tolerant of their corruption.

  21. Knowledge of the situation is step one. So I will take that for starters. Eventually the conditions will be ripe for change. But knowledge is the beginning of the end.

  22. They are ruling as feudal lords are wont to do!

  23. What unholy hell going on in this country….how much more can we as citizens take from these vampires how are running this country

  24. And what if we know?
    Those contaminating it don’t even pretend to be discontinuing the practice anymore.
    When they are discovered they simply respond with a polite “Oh” and keep on doing what they were doing!

  25. Lol. Don’t say that. Let us know what in the water we bathing in! 😉

  26. Lasana don’t think that because I haven’t been commenting that I’m not reading eh.
    It’s nust that some of the developments being exposed are so blatantly corrupt and the consequences for that corruption so nonexistent that I sometimes wonder what is the point in highlighting them.

    I’m actually at the point now where I long for the days when corruption was hidden from us…………….it seemed then more thoughtful and respectful!

  27. The entire board was replaced. I believe the Finance Minister cleaned house.

  28. Hey… Whatever happened with that one? Since I have to rely on Internet news and I don’t get a physical paper, sometime I miss the 4th and 5th page news.

  29. And good work to the reporter, Asha Javeed, who sure got a lot of flak for this investigative series.

  30. Interesting again good work bro

  31. The culture of corruption in Trinidad has been nurtured and sustained since 1962 by almost every government that has held the reins of power. Stemming this tide and eradicating this cancer, which robs citizens of the resources that can enhance their quality of life would require a political will, which for all intents and purposes seems to be largely absent from the current political arena. Whilst in opposition parties would hem and haw and decry the spectre of corruption but upon assuming office this is soon forgotten and they inevitably it seems, stumble and then run happily down the very same road as their predecessors, and often with more gusto that even they could have mustered. The citizenry lives in the hope that a new political era will dawn that would save us all from the clutches of greed that have grown in its influence and reach over the past fifty years.

    • Amen, Michael. But do the citizens have more than “hope” for the future? If you have any ideas for a solution, you should submit an opinion piece on it.

  32. Sana, since the chairman gone, any change with contract or the same people still in play?

  33. It is time the Fraud Squad or the Anti Corruption Bureau investigate Mr Ted Peralta Delicia Maharaj and Mr Azard Khan

    • I TOTALLY AGREE ESPECIALLY AZARD KHAN. I KNEW HIM PERSONALLY UP UNTIL VERY RECENT AND I AM FOR 1000% SURE HE IS IN THIS.

      BACK IN OUR SCHOOL DAYS I HAVE SEEN THAT HE COULD FORGE ANYTHING, SIGNATURES, WORDS, NUMBERS ANYTHING HE CAN FORGUE. THERE WAS NOTHING AND I MEAN NOTHING THAT HE COULD NOT FORGE AND IT WAS SO PERFECT YOU COULD NOT TELL WHICH WAS THE REAL ONE FROM THE FORGED ONE.

      AND HIS QUALIFICATION, WELL THAT IS ANOTHER STORY. WELL I AM SURE THAT YOU CAN GUESS IT OUT, ALL HIS “SO CALLED” CERTIFICATES ARE ALSO FORGED.

      MAYBE THAT JUST ANOTHER REASON THAT AZARD KHAN AND DELICIA MAHARAJ ARE SLEEPING TOGETHER (TWO PEAS IN A POD). BUT DELICIA MAHARAJ IS ALSO SLEEPING WITH MITRA RAMKHELAWAN THE EX CHAIRMAN.

      THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE REASONS WHY I CHOOSE NO LONGER TO KEEP COMPANY WITH HIM.

      HE HAS DONE MUCH TO MANY PEOPLE WRONG AND CHEATED TO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF MONEY. JUST ASK HIM WHY HE GOT FIRED FROM HIS JOBS AT CHIEF BRANDS PRODUCTS AND TYRE CLINIC.

      I HOPE THAT JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED VERY VERY SOON.

  34. Corruption, friends and family, who know who, never have I seen this so blatantly done in this country. Even the CERTIFICATE MILLS did a lot of work over the past three years. this article is so GLARING. Next week we can expect something else.

  35. All of them is a bunch of thieves Delicia Maharaj,Ted Peralta and the Chairman of the board. Come on Minister in Charge of National Quarries, investigate them. The Operation Manager was a note taker for all meetings… Mr Chairman what ain’t meet you ain’t pass you

  36. i agree with all the above comments on how sad and disgusting this is; except the response by ‘Atlas Shrugged’.. and by that very name I can TELL what your philosophy is. Do some research people! Google the term if you have to – persons like Atlas Shrugged, this Entire Government, their family, friends, suck-ups, kiss-asses.. find ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with the above scenario

  37. If This guy has a Team of Professionals with the expertise to complete the job then that’s fine. If not, then there’s a Procurement issue. He doesn’t have to be skilled in the field but he has to have the organisation to get the job done. Did anyone check out his company to see if they are legit?

  38. This remind me of Ish Galbaransingh’s daughter who was a university student and got a $5 million HDC contract to rehabilitate a car park in Maloney. Ironic…. That article was posted close to same time last year… http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Fair_and_square-169260366.html

  39. Meh Nanny U have a son who marrid to de CEO, yuh think they will hire meh to be Managing Director but date meh employment about 2 years back so I have back pay?

  40. I’m so shocked I have to post twice. These guys not waiting until the lights off to do their shady business they’re doing under stadium light and in broad daylight. The fact that they’re doing this out in the open is like they’re telling us **** you to our faces. I’m out here struggling trying to make ends meet… meanwhile these guys stuffing their pockets with money the wrong way… *sigh*… Jesus take the wheel, take the wheel.

  41. No standard, no shame… You think this place fair? Sweet Jesus please take the wheel.

  42. I must be doing something wrong. I studied Industrial Engineering in the US, came back here to contribute to my country and is pressure to get ahead wuk. And when I get ah wuk, is pressure because doing the right thing seems to be wrong here. I spend eight years struggling with these bag ah mad people and nobody even want to smell me in my discipline, but de youth man is a consultant, professional Engineer and Tech Startup owner, a la Mark Zuckerberg, all on a Mechanical Engineering degree. I wonder how many years of experience he has? I definitely have to be the jackass of aulde for working hard to gain my ends. Somebody tell me how to get a PP party card please………

    • Firstly, you need to work for yourself to get these kind of jobs. Start your own consulting firm, and bid for these contracts.

      Also, as far as I know, Bill Gates left Microsoft quite a few years back. and I don’t think that Microsoft will actually be suffering from not ‘winning’ a very small TT$1.3 mill contract…lol

      • @Atlas Shrugged – one word…SATIRE…

        • @Louann Sankar — I get the ‘SATIRE’.

          However my comment was actually directed towards Alexander’s comment…not the article itself.

          • I thought so but then you said… “Also, as far as I know, Bill Gates left Microsoft quite a few years back. and I don’t think that Microsoft will actually be suffering from not ‘winning’ a very small TT$1.3 mill contract…lol”

            • @Louann — Besides Alexander’s comment, I also read many of the FB comments on the article.

              Again…my response was a direct ‘Reply’ to Alexander’s comment (and not to a larger extent, other similar comments I’ve read elsewhere).

              If you noticed, my initial comment was not a ‘stand-alone’ comment onto itself…it was a ‘Reply’ to Alexander’s…and by extension, to few other commenters who did indeed bring-up the MicroSoft thing.

              Anyway, I didn’t think my simple initial comment on this board was going to incur so much attention…lol

              • Haha. All comments are always welcomed Atlas. You check Wired868 on Facebook where we have our official page as well as a group page. And we’re on Twitter @wired868.

                • @Lisana — Yeah, bredz…I’m actually in your FB cloed-group. I think I joined not to long after your launched it. It’s definitely one of de most entertaining and informative FB groups out there.

                  I also check-out your articles and de ole-talk via the SocaWarriors.net website eh. Keep doing your thing, man! 🙂

      • While he is no longer involved in the day to day operations of the company, I’m pretty sure Mr. Gates is still the chairman of the board of Microsoft :3 These days he’s more focused on his charity work though.

        • Thanks for pointing that out on my behalf Jaximus and Louann… The point is not whether Bill Gates will miss a $1.3 million contract, Atlas. Read the report again and have a re-think. And, yes, this is a satirical column. Hyperbole and satire go hand-in-hand. Everything is factual. But the presentation in a satirical piece is different to the presentation of a straight news piece.

          • @Lasana — I get the satire and ‘parody’ etc.

            However my comment was actually directed towards Alexander’s comment…not the article itself.

            • Okay. I understand Atlas. If Microsoft couldn’t beat Peralta’s bid though, what chance would Alexander have? Not that he shouldn’t try. But the point is that the process doesn’t seem fair.

              • @ Lisana — Oh, I totally agree with you on that (but I just didn’t go into it in my initial comment as it seemed to be quite obvious to everyone).

                But all-in-all, fairness or lack of fairness and transparency, one thing I’ve learned in my life is that you put yourself in a better position to make-it-big, when you go-out on your own.

                Based on Alexander’s comments, I totally get what he’s saying…but I gather from his comment that he works for someone else, and does not run his own enterprise. (I might be wrong…but that’s what I inferred from his comment).

                Anyhows, the process described in the article does indeed reek of cronyism and unfair-corrupt business practices, but I was making a larger point that one has to take the risk and be their own boss, if one wants to increase their probability of realizing real success in the business world.

                • Yes, taking risks and invoking the entrepreneurial spirit are key to ‘making it big’ aka financial independence; however, one must possess that technical acumen and drive to truly make it one’s chosen profession. It may take some years as one may lack the requisite experience, confidence and/or capital to go into business for one’s self.
                  That being said this type of blatant corruption is really disheartening as simply being affiliated with the right party or ethnic group trumps being intelligent, industrious and ethical. It has been like this for decades but what will it take to change this system? What would have a young John Galt done?

                  • @ ‘I am not rand’ — I fully understand the high level of corruption, favoritism, nepotism, and cronyism that’s in play in T&T…and of course it is not something I agree with at all.

                    However, since you asked in humour ‘What John Galt would have done?’ I would answer that he would’ve probably learned this corrupt system himself…networked with the ‘players’ and decision makers…and worked the system to his advantage.

                    Corruption and conflict of interests aside…in business, networking counts. Contracts are typically awarded by people who know each other, and move in the same circles.

                    Also as an FYI, it doesn’t take much capital to go into business on one’s own…especially if going into consulting. Typically just an internet connection…a phone…some knowledge of the industry you’re in…willing to learn learn learn…and personally ambitious and naturally driven. That’s all that’s really needed.

                    Anyhows, the story above is an extreme and obvious case of corruption and unfair business practice, especially since it was a government (taxpayer) contract being handed out to a crony. In a fair and just world, there would be jail-time handed-out in this case.

                • Quite true…. it is a conundrum that the fundamentals of business are not taught together with these degrees, otherwise it would be obvious that “working hard” simply won’t suffice in today’s market. The simple truth is that the lion’s share will always go to those who assume the risk of starting the company, and never to its employees who are paid according to their contribution to its operation.

                  Employees may think that they’re being underpaid, but consider that they will likely be paid salaries regardless of the company’s performance, so this perceived “pay cut” is little more than the cost of income guarantees: a figment to the entrepreneur.

                  Of course, having the right contacts are the closest they come to guarantees, but there are consequences to every underhanded deal if you pay attention long enough.

                  Entrepreneurs, do not be discouraged!

    • Well, honestly I wondering the same thing you know, how is it that this young man so questionably lucky? What is he doing that us tertiary graduates are not? What is this big “secret” that is getting him ahead in the job market?

  43. The lack of finesse is downright insulting. At least TRY to hide it na!

  44. “Mr Live Wire thinks Peralta’s meteoric rise from mechanical engineering student to million dollar technology contractor and National Quarries trouble-shooter is further evidence that, contrary to Dana Seetahal’s lecture to Beetham Garden residents, our children’s future is not related to their book bags; it is about who is on their My Lime or What’s App list.

    Or, to put it another way, not even Bill Gates can get a job in Trinidad and Tobago unless he has a friend on a State board.”

    Brilliant as it is disheartening… the source of bitterness for many a hard working qualified youngster these days.

  45. Tears boy tears… sigh

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