AFC Press Conference, March 14, 2012

Specialty Hospital Fiasco — $29 million for "Dirty Dozen" Heaps

Read by Moses Nagamootoo

The Alliance for Change (AFC) is calling on the Minority PPP Government to come clean with the Guyanese taxpayers on the total cost and all other expenditures for the proposed Specialty Hospital Project.

In the 2011 Budget, an initial sum of $150,000,000.00 was provided for works that included a design of the hospital, whilst financing for the project by the Government of India was being pursued. It was with shock and awe that on the 16th February, 2012, the Parliament of Guyana was told that not a cent of the original $150M was spent, and that no design has been done when Finance Minister Ashni Singh was being grilled about the whooping $29,100,000.00 extra moneys for the project.

The additional $29M was sought as payment made from the Contingencies Fund sometime between October and December, 2011 (after Parliament was dissolved) for land preparation at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara for the hospital. The moneys were ALREADY spent. The remarks in the supplementary estimates were that the $29M represented “provision for mobilization payment on infrastructural works”.

AFC leaders Messrs. Khemraj Ramjattan, Moses Nagamootoo and David Patterson recently visited the proposed site at Turkeyen. They saw what appear to be 12 heaps of dirt, apparently deposited on the land after it was graded. At a far corner, there were a roller, tractor-trailer and a single heap of white sand. It would appear that the $29M was spent on those “Dirty Dozen” heaps! The AFC demands a forensic audit of how the $29M was spent, as the land preparation was clumsily executed, incomplete, and the land remains inundated.

On 16th February, 2012 when the minority government asked Parliament to approve the expenditure, the AFC demanded reasonable explanations, which were not given, and so it voted against the approval. Immediately after the sitting, PPP and Government leaders in a propaganda blitz on state television/radio and newspapers, attacked the AFC specifically and the Opposition in general for allegedly sabotaging government’s developmental agenda. We were accused with voting against an “Indian” hospital in a frenzied and desperate campaign to whip up racism among the Indo-Guyanese population. 

Apart from the usual suspects in the propaganda pantomime, PPP Executive Ralph Ramkarran and Pollster, Vishnu Bisram, joined the race-baiting gang. On March 9, 2012 Bisram, one of the PPP’s ideologues and apologists, crudely held out the “African jumbee” to drive fears into Indians and exploit ethnic insecurity in Guyana. Bisram is towing the PPP line that the AFC has teamed up with the PNC to punish Indians, saying that “if the AFC does not address Indian concerns, then the Indians will return home”. Bisram gave unsolicited advice that “the AFC has to show that it has the interests of Indians at heart…and the AFC’s opposition to fund the infrastructure work of the proposed specialty Indian hospital will not help its case”.

AFC regrets that in the Month of the Jagans, Bisram’s views were the most depraved, idiotic and obscene defilement of Cheddi’s multi-racial politics. The AFC wishes to make it clear that it has never opposed the proposed Specialty hospital. AFC voted for the initial $150M in last year’s budget for the project, whilst it was still in gestation. Further, the AFC is on record in Parliament recently assuring the minority government that it would vote for any project, including the specialty hospital (Indian or otherwise), once reasonable explanations were given for moneys spent, or to be spent.

In violation of the Constitution and applicable laws, no sensible or reasonable explanations were given for the $29M requested. And, as it turns out, the “infrastructural works” on the ground at Turkeyen have raised new concerns as to how the moneys were spent. What the AFC is opposed to is lack of accountability and transparency, squandermania, poor or no planning, waste of moneys from Donors’ Community, projects tainted with perception of corruption — all of which could be raised with good reasons as we look at the “Dirty Dozen” heaps at the Turkeyen Site.

The AFC reiterates that as a significant political player, it will support any and all initiatives, plans and projects that are in the national interest and that will bring short-term and long-term relief to the Guyanese people, irrespective of their race, religion or creed. The PPP minority government has been caught with its pants down on the hospital project, and no amount of race-baiting and bottom-house, spit propaganda can hide its shame!

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Time for RUSAL to go

The AFC is outraged at the continued arrogance and disregard being exhibited by the Guyana Bauxite Co. (Rusal), which continues to disrespect the workers, their families, the laws, and indeed all Guyanese by their continued refusal to engage the workers who were dismissed three years ago. This is an outrage and a national ‘eye-pass” that all right-minded Guyanese must stand up against.

The latest refusal to submit to the lawful process of arbitration is an affront to the labour laws and processes for settling labour disputes. Foreign companies must be made aware of the laws, customs and practices of our nation, and moreover, to be made to respect and abide by them when here.

The government has allowed, because of its nefarious deal-making, to allow Rusal to continue to treat our workers and their families as sub-human, and by extension, is allowing this disrespect to be blatantly flaunted on all of our systems and institutions. The AFC believes that the time has come for Rusal to be brought to book and for the contract to be reviewed and terminated if the behaviour continues. We may lose much needed financing, but regain our pride and dignity. 

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PPP High Court motion a ‘side-wind’

The Alliance for Change notes with alarm the filing of litigation by the PPP/C government’s chief legal advisor, and also in his capacity as applicant, to annul the lawful and legitimate decisions taken in the National Assembly concerning the Committee of Selection, and the various other Parliamentary Committees.

This conduct by the PPP using the instrumentality of one of its Assembly Members who is also a high state functionary vindicates the AFC’s assertion that the PPP wants only total control. It just freaks out when not in total control thus revealing its autocratic streak.

The High Court Motion and a similar Parliamentary Motion by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds seeking similar remedies in the Assembly are wholly misconceived and unmeritorious, to say the least. To subject the AFC Leader and Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman and other members of the Assembly to such legal process in these circumstances, is unheard of. The Constitution of Guyana clearly prohibits this.

The PPP/C Government and the Attorney General, is seeking an advisorial opinion on the High Court as to whether proportionality - in accordance with its whims and fancy – is a doctrine which inheres in the operations of the Assembly’s business. This is but ‘side-wind’ seeking an amendment to the Constitution without following the Constitutionally laid down procedures for such an amendment.

The AFC will mount a vigorous defence against this misconceived constitutional motion and will ensure that the Assembly’s business and privileges are maintained and enjoyed by its members when these members act in accordance with the laws and the rules governing the Assembly.

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