AFC to consider members’ public declaration on external affiliations

August 15, 2013, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source

As the buzz continues on Nigel Hughes’ seemingly compromising affiliation with the now jeopardized Amaila Falls project, executives of the Alliance for Change (AFC) say that they have no right to pronounce or advise on the professional endeavours of its members.

The party said that they respect the right of a professional to earn a living in their professional capacity, while recognizing the importance of decisions in the national sphere, and the perceptions that could arise from certain types of issues.

AFC Member of Parliament Trevor Williams, party Treasurer Dominic Gaskin and General Secretary David Patterson were answering questions yesterday at a press conference, called specifically for questions on any issue, some of which have seen the party treading on troubled waters over the past few weeks.

AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes

The party members admitted that there might be loose ends and questions lingering in the minds of the public that had to be clarified.

Patterson told the gathering of media personnel that in politics, image is paramount. He highlighted that the party’s image is one of the hot topics scheduled for discussion at the party’s upcoming National Executive Meeting on August 31.

As it relates to Hughes, the former party Chairman, Patterson said the party’s position remains the same about his resignation.  Following a publication by this newspaper last Tuesday, revealing Hughes’ link as Company Secretary of the controversial Amaila Falls Hydro Inc., the prominent attorney at law tendered his resignation to the AFC, but the party has refused to accept it.

The Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. is the Special Purpose Vehicle/Company created for the development, construction and operation of the US$858M Hydro Power plant.

Patterson said that the AFC will continue to support Nigel Hughes, whose contribution is massively significant to the party’s functioning.

“We think that Nigel is significant and plays a major role in the country. He has the party’s full support,” the General Secretary posited.

Patterson stated that the party was aware of Hughes’ legal representation to the company.

He explained that Hughes’ appointment as Company Secretary of Amaila Falls Hydro Inc came in 2009, while the Chairmanship of the AFC came in 2012. When the Sithe Global issue came up, Hughes’ professional affiliation was related to the AFC, Patterson continued.

Dominic Gaskin injected that like many other organizations, regular people can be elected to serve on a voluntary basis. The Amaila Falls issue came at an unfortunate time, he said. “The way the Amaila Falls issue became an issue is not that it wasn’t there when Hughes assumed Chairman; it wasn’t an issue. If the revelation was made six months ago, then no one would have said anything. It just comes at a very unfortunate time when the Amaila Falls issue is a hot issue, with perceptions, some of which may be to the detriment of the party.”

It was mentioned too that the AFC has no built-in mechanism that would speak to party member’s business affiliation in their professional capacities.

It was mentioned further that it was not in the party’s right to ask Hughes to sever its ties with the Amaila Falls project; so to say the party “blundered” on the issue was out of the question.

For now, Nigel Hughes is on leave, Patterson told the media. However, on his return, the AFC plans to sit with the former Chairman and the National Executive Committee to determine the way forward.

From left: Trevor Williams; Dominic Gaskin and David Patterson.

Additionally, the party might be considering guidelines on public disclosure on external affiliations. Patterson said that the party needs to figure out if there should be clearly defined roles in the executive committee on how they should disclose publicly, involvement in future matters other than national issues.

AFC’s stripes began to fall as persons speculated on the revelations on Hughes being so closely linked to the Amaila Falls project, and the party’s sudden support of it. The other opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) continues their non-support for the government-introduced hydro project, in its present form, citing major inconsistencies such as the lack of parliamentary oversight and the lack of in-depth information concerning the project.

The government however remains optimistic that the seemingly unmovable APNU will change its mind and lend support for the hydro plan, even after Sithe Global declared the need for parliamentary consensus and dropped out of the race due to the lack of it.