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Hughes retains AFC Chairmanship

-    Calls for constitutional change to avoid another Amaila saga  

The Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday came out in full force to announce the party’s continuance of Attorney at Law Nigel Hughes as its chairman.
Yesterday marked the first instance where Hughes appeared on an AFC panel since the publication of him being affiliated with Amaila Hydro Inc., through his portfolio as Company Secretary, a position which he retains. The panel consisted of nine AFC members.
Despite the fact that Hughes reportedly shared, with the party, information as to his affiliation with Amaila Hydro Inc, the AFC never informed the public of same. Hence, the publication of this fact resulted in both Hughes’s decision to tender his resignation as party chairman and widespread gossip and deliberations about AFC’s sincerity.
Ramjattan yesterday told the media that his party recently had a National Executive meeting where members deliberated on issues surrounding the offer of resignation from Hughes.

The AFC panel at yesterday’s press conference

According to Ramjattan, at that meeting, the National Executive unanimously agreed that it will not accept Hughes’s resignation as Chairman. Consequent upon that agreement, Hughes withdrew his offer to resign and thus remains the Chairman.
As Hughes addressed the media, he said that after a period of widespread consultation with the elders of his community – the wider Guyanese community, colleagues, the Caribbean and the Diaspora about his resignation – he was urged to reconsider his decision.
Hughes claimed that he also solicited opinion from the man in the street on several occasions and the responses pushed for him to withdraw the resignation.
The Attorney-at-law noted that he remains committed to the people of Guyana and the development of Guyana, in which all can equally participate in the decision-making process.
Hughes claimed that his resignation was driven by the fact that he didn’t want to become a source of distraction to all the work that the AFC has done in relation to Amaila.
However, he proceeded to offer his “sincere apology to the several members of the public and supporters of the AFC who were disappointed by the fact that this information had not been shared with them before.”

Truth of the matter
Even as Hughes apologized, the lawyer offered the related sequence of events. Hughes said that in 2009 his firm, more specifically himself, was retained to represent Sithe Global, as the American company indicated that it was interested in entering into an agreement with the government with the purpose of setting up a Hydro Plant at Amaila Falls.
Hughes said that it is a requirement of the government of Guyana that for any foreign investor to incorporate and establish a company in the country, “it is a perquisite of any investment agreement.”
The Attorney said that since the company had no immediate intention of establishing a physical office in Guyana, he was asked to act in the position as Secretary.
Hughes disclosed that discussions thereafter in relation to the Amaila Falls hydro power project, were conducted between Sithe Global, the China Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the government of Guyana.
“I was not party to those discussions, I was not invited to offer advice on those discussions; my role of company secretary was literally for the purpose of ensuring that the company complied with its legal regulation and I was indeed retained by Sithe and Amaila to provide legal advice on a range of matters.”
Hughes further emphasized that as the project plans developed, discussions continued between Sithe and the aforementioned partners… not Amaila Hydro Inc.
He said that in 2012, he became Chairman of the AFC “and shortly after, the issue of Amaila became an issue, and I disclosed that I was the lawyer for Amaila and Sithe, and asked to be recused on deliberation on that matter.”
Hughes specified that the privilege is with the client, not the lawyer, and unless the client permits the release of information on the nature of his engagement or the fact that he represents them, he could not do so.
Hughes told the media that he deeply regrets the fact that the public was not made aware of his affiliation, but asked to be forgiven on the call of professionalism.

Way forward
The lawyer admitted that it was a difficult period for the AFC but said that, “As we move forward, now the country should start to discuss the issue of hydro power and how we can go about finding consensus and finding the best and brightest available.”
Hughes said that many lessons have been learnt from the entire saga, and one is that “the present arrangement allows the executive to enter into an agreement of this magnitude and significance to national development, without consultation at the initial stages with stakeholders of the communities” including members of the opposition and the business community. Hughes said that he hopes this model is no longer accepted.
He added: “It is clear that major international investors are weary about investing in major projects in Guyana which involves their money… unless there is total consensus on the project, which means that for the project to be successful from the inception all principal stakeholders, whether in or out of parliament, ought to be part of the process.
More importantly, what is demonstrated again is that a constitutional agreement which facilitated initial engagement on this project back in 2009 during the previous administration, without any consultation with other principal stakeholders in the country, cannot continue. Guyana continues to have constitutional agreements that rest all the executive power in the hands of a government, which may or may not be a minority.”

The AFC desperately holding on to the one credible Afro in their party. Its a pity he didn't bring in any votes for them like Gomattie did before she was shafted.

Emile_Mervin

Nigel Hughes will be a baggage that would drive the AFC into failure. He should have the decency to resign and stayed resigned from politics. Ramjattan and Nagamootoo will live to regret this. AFC politics have sunk to the lowest since Nigel Hughes assumed Chairmanship of the AFC. The worst Ramjattan and Moses have done is to defend Nigel from his conflict of interest. 

HAHAHAHAHA

KFC CHICKEN talk about Democracy, Honesty, INTEGRITY BUt IT IS ALL TALK.

Meh Bin Ah tell Ayu but Ayu nah believe me.

The political culture that AFC possesses are not entwined with their constituents. The Guyanese voters are waiting at the poll. The writing is on the wall. Decisions must be made with the people in mind, not Nigel. 

Cobra.... yuh think you or Kwame Husband can show us where nigel Stole a penny from the Failed Hydro Project.

Bannas, THE KFC are the BIGGEST JOKERS since Bob Hope and THE THREE STOOGES.

Lying to your constituents is as bad as stealing. I am more confident today that the AFC reputation as third party is destined to evaporate from the political limelight in 2016. When you make lying a priority to the people, it shows a great degree of disrespect and misrepresentation, and to take the voters trust for granted. The voters will make this correction for trusting a failed party and failed promises by the AFC.

Jomo

Cobra....yuh see wha Kwame husband saying now....

Since AFC mek De Rat & De Duck turn two lil boy

and dem become Minority...
Dem is the Biggest Jokers....

and PPP is De Biggest Loosers...

andhear this.... Pundit marry Kwame

Bamboo-wedding

to get back all dem berbice votes

Moses tek away from dem

Look how nice Kwame look

Bhai yuh think Pundit

mek de right decision....

yo Cobra...u could talk de truth..

Kwame cant touch yuh...

eee was crying fuh Nehru de other nite...

Cobra....how long yuh think

de wedding could last...

according to Kwame she always....

 back up an ready fuh action....

she like action line live...

pundit sey....b!ack saltfish sweet.

Long live the A.F.C.....

I hope they lived out their last three years faithfully!

Hughes’ withdrawal of resignation: Double standards by AFC

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall believes that the minority political party – the Alliance for Change (AFC) is displaying double standards, following the announcement that its Chairman, Nigel Hughes has withdrawn his resignation.

Hughes tendered his resignation on August 6, following revelations that he is the Company Secretary of Sithe Global – the then main investor of the controversial Amaila Falls Project.

At a press conference yesterday (Thursday September 5) Hughes told reporters that he decided to withdraw his resignation from the Party because there was a public outcry for him to remain Chairman of the AFC.

Hughes wife, Cathy Hughes, who is also a member and parliamentarian of the Alliance for Change, is the Public Relations Officer of Sithe Global. Upon tendering his resignation, the AFC did not accept it, citing full confidence in Hughes.

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Nandlall told iNews, “It means that the AFC is saying one thing in words but their actions are in the complete opposite direction. You would recall that the AFC conceptually professed itself to be the instrument of change in Guyana’s politics. In their equation of change, they arrogated onto themselves the position of the Party that will be the voice of morality in Guyana’s politics.”

According to Nandlall, “Unfortunately, everything that they do and continue to do, establish beyond rational doubt that they have abandoned or are incapable of compiling with their idealistic standards.”

He further noted, “The Nigel Hughes fiasco is a classic example of the same. This gentleman was Company Secretary for a company that was perceived to be controversial by the opposition including his own Party. The opposition and his own party have constantly been complaining about the lack of full and frank disclosure about Sithe Global and the Amaila Falls for years and this gentleman sat quietly in a corner without disclosing that he is the company secretary of this company. For years, his Party has been requesting documents in respect this company and the Amaila Falls Project. The Company Secretary in any company is the legal custodian of the records of the company. Mr. Hughes sat idly by all those years, not disclosing that he has or ought to have access to the very records which his party is clamoring for.”

Nandall explained that it would have been a completely different scenario if a PPP member was found in a similar situation.

“These are only some of the incidences of the double standards and these are the precise issues that the AFC loves to shout about and here it is, it is happening in its own house and rather than condemn the political immorality, which has taken place, they condone it. One only has to imagine if a government officer or a PPP member was found in such a situation, what the response of the AFC would have been. They would have jumped on every house top in this country to condemn it at the top of their voice. Today they sneak it quietly under the carpet and hopes that it blows over.”

Nigel Hughes position as chairman of the AFC means power before honor and integrity to its constituents. This latest action by Hughes, Ramjattan and Nagamootoo speaks volume of where this party is heading. They made a case that corruption and conflict of interest is acceptable in the AFC, and that is an unacceptable precedent for any young party to set that's hoped to rise and lead a democratic and developing nation someday. I am very shocked and disappointed of this latest news.

Long Live The AFC!

• Keith Williams 

• Guyana in general and the AFC in particular would loose a great human asset if Nigel were to remove himself from Politics. I certainly accept his explanation.

we all know that councie is a retard . . . but what in heaven's name does this vacation in jackassland say about Anil?

Councie..... Anil just like you.....

he do nika with eee gal....

and you do bamboo wedding with pundit...

but yall only fooling aya self....

that will not bring back the folks

who choose to follow 

Moses, Nigel and De AFC over aya

and mek aya loosers....

Councie....Anil mother in law ....

does move Cocaine in she Crack...

she say is pill fuh de puss

and you friend at OP 

get caught with gun and ammo....

and eee say is pill fuh dee bat-----tee...

Councie....you and Anil think people stupid....

Councie ask anil to show you

how far up de crack dem find cocaine...

Da Bhai go in Parliament and say...

it was Coke in  De Poke.....

ah had to cut the audio...

mi fren Cobra would complain

THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said it has noted, with some alarm, the continued drama unfolding within the camp of the Alliance For Change (AFC), regarding the ‘mercenary-type’ position of its leadership on Guyana’s major infrastructural projects. “The party’s release of a draft Code of Conduct for its leadership is nothing but an attempt to distract from what the PPP has been contending all along and that is the fact that AFC leaders are using their public portfolios in the opposition to push the agenda of their private business interests,” the PPP charged in a statement yesterday.

According to the PPP statement, which was read by the party’s General Secretary Mr. Clement Rohee at a news briefing yesterday, this is most glaring in the efforts to sabotage the realisation of the Specialty Hospital by Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan and his AFC clique in the National Assembly, as he was employed by the company which lost out on winning the bid to construct the facility.
The statement said, interestingly, it was no other than Mr. Nigel Hughes who rushed to the aid of Mr. Ramjattan when the PPP had raised this very serious issue.
Hughes was quoted as saying: “There is no rule in the profession that stops Ramjattan, who is a practising attorney from plying his trade as a lawyer.”

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

The PPP said those following the issue will recall that similar comments were, in turn, offered by Mr. Ramjattan in defence of Mr. Hughes, when the personal relationship of the latter with the Amaila Falls hydro project was publicised. The PPP statement read by Rohee  continued: “You will also know that AFC Member of Parliament, Mrs. Kathy Hughes is employed as the public relations consultant for Sithe Global. “Therefore, it is easy to see that the longer this national project was dragged out, the more financial resources the company would have had to expend locally and ironically it was only when the company announced it would cease all financial interest and withdraw from the project that there was a rush from the AFC camp, inclusive of Mrs. Hughes, to vote in favour of critical legislation they were opposing all along.

STRENUOUS EFFORT

“Then there is the party’s strenuous effort to attack the Marriott Hotel project and then it was later publicised that the owner of the Pegasus Hotel was opposed to the project and had joined the AFC and had become one of their financiers.
“This concern of the AFC sabotaging national projects for their personal gain is nothing new and was raised on several occasions but that party’s leadership has, consistently, sought to defend itself and justify their actions.
“It is only after they were caught red-handed on this occasion, that they rushed to admit guilt and the ensuing drama unfolded with best actor, Mr. Nigel Hughes, offering his resignation in an effort to reduce further exposure and criticisms of the leadership.
“Just as we had surmised, all along, as soon as they felt the coast was clear, Mr. Hughes has withdrawn his resignation and has returned to his post within the party.
“A quick glance at the AFC’s code of conduct and one would confirm the latest sham they have foisted on the unsuspecting public.
“Just as Mr. Hughes and Mr. Ramjattan were contending, all along, they have crafted their code of conduct to guarantee themselves the right to work for any private company but, even more so, they shall not be required to violate confidentiality with their clients.
“In essence, if their clients do not wish for them to disclose their association with the particular company, they are under no obligation to make any disclosures.

FURTHER EXPOSED

“This embarrassing episode of misleading the public is further exposed by the fact that rather than mandate their leaders to make such disclosures, the AFC clique has also included a clause where they can, in turn, decide whether or not, on a voluntary basis, to make such a disclosure of their personal relationship with any company.
“After this revelation, no doubt the AFC will then rush to say that this is but a draft document but the fact remains that the document contains the thoughts and ideas of its leadership and serves to confirm that they were not genuine with their admission of guilt and apology as the very issue they admitted guilt on, they are now promoting once again,” Rohee posited.
Rohee said the silence of Transparency International Guyana and the other anti-corruption tsars on this unfolding episode have not escaped the attention of the public.

Councie Anil is yuh friend....

look wha de PPP Cabal do to de poor Bhai..

ANIL WAS A RISING STAR.....

Nandlall not on PPP Exco because of campaign against him – Ramkarran

Posted By Stabroek editor On September 8, 2013 @ 3:23 pm In Local News | No Comments

Attorney General and Peoples Progressive Party Central Committee Member Anil Nandlall says that he is unaware of any negative campaign mounted against him by members of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).

Former Speaker of the National Assembly and PPP stalwart, Ralph Ramkarran in an article published in the Sunday September 8th edition of the Stabroek News, claimed that Nandlall failed to secure a space on the PPP’s Executive Committee because of this campaign against him.

When questioned  whether the claim by Ramkarran is true, Nandlall said “I don’t know, ask the General Secretary,” since he is unaware of any campaign of  that nature.

The former Speaker said it was surprising that Nandlall after securing 690 votes, placing him forth at the party’s recent congress in August last, he failed to secure a seat on executive committee.

Ramkarran said, “Mr. Nandlall is a rising star, was first elected to the central committee in 2006, paid his dues and is popular.”

He went onto explain that it was highly irregular for new entrants to surpass those who were on the Central Committee and be elected to the Executive Committee and believes that such a move was designed to keep Nandlall out.

Ramkarran concluded that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for Nandlall to overcome his powerful opponents without support from either President Donald Ramotar or the party’s General Secretary Clement Rohee.

Ramkarran, who resigned from the party after 50 years of membership, alleging serious corruption in the party and by extension the country, is hopeful that Nandlall may opt for the long haul and hope for the best.

Kwame can tek as much lo-lo as he want,

but read exactly what Anil said

When questioned  whether the claim by Ramkarran is true,

Nandlall said “I don’t know, ask the General Secretary,”

since he is unaware of any campaign of  that nature.

 ANIL WAS A RISING STAR..... Kwame is a B@tty Boy

The former Speaker said it was surprising that Nandlall after securing 690 votes, placing him forth at the party’s recent congress in August last, he failed to secure a seat on executive committee.

So Councie ......

what was Anil telling you

about Donald & Bharat....

Go ahead...yuh can talk now.....