Belt and Road MoU with China will be released when I am ready – Greenidge
The Government will release to the public the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Guyana and China to execute loan-financed projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge who signed the MoU with China which uses the initiative globally to provide financial support for infrastructural projects.
“I will release it [the MoU] when I am ready,” Greenidge informed Kaieteur News during a brief telephone call.
Last week Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, when questioned by Kaieteur News about the MoU being made public said that there is nothing to hide and in fact thought it was already released.
The BRI MoU was signed by Greenidge and Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jainchun, on July 27.
In contrast, the energy MoU signed between Guyana and Trinidad was released on September 19, the same day it was signed by President David Granger and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley.
Government appears to be speeding towards executing projects under the (BRI) and is said to be currently searching for projects.
The BRI is increasingly causing concern. It is seen globally as a debt trap for countries like Ghana and Sri Lanka where China in some cases ended up owning the infrastructure, including major ports.
Last month’s visit by China’s State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, has accelerated discussions on the BRI.
During bilateral discussions between Greenidge and Yi, the two sides examined ways to move forward with BRI.
The Coalition Government recognizes that Guyana needs infrastructure in order to develop.
President David Granger had said that this is the main reason Guyana is courting China under the BRI.
The head of state had said that the government “must go into these agreements with its eyes wide open”.
Granger had told the media that Guyana is going to be prudent in its approach to projects under the BRI which is developing a reputation on the international stage as a debt trap for small nations of interest to China.
The Opposition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) which has not historically released such agreements to the public has now called on the Government to make the BRI MoU public.
