Concerns raised by Contractor General Greg Christie over allegations of corruption regarding contracting firm China Harbour Engineering Company have prompted the government in Guyana to put a stop to the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Earlier this month, the Contractor General highlighted that China Harbour through its parent firm China Communications Construction Company had been debarred by the World Bank, under its Fraud and Corruption Sanctioning Policy.

China Habour has argued that the blacklisting was inherited from the previous owner of the construction company which was taken in 2005.

However based on the allegations of corruption, Head of Guyana’s Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon said the agreement to expand the airport has been put on hold.

He said the project will resume when both the government and the Chinese authorities are satisfied that the allegations are baseless.

He said President Donald Ramotar has forwarded a request to the Chinese authorities on the issue.

Former Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo, under whose tenure the Chinese firm was awarded the contract, had called on his successor not to take the allegations lightly and to engage the Chinese government on the reports.

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