Learning Channel contract mirrors Sanata Complex deal – AFC

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, has likened the contracting of TVG to air the Learning Channel for $3.6M monthly, to the Sanata Complex deal by President Bharrat Jagdeo. Though separate deals, their similarities appear to be a mirror’s reflection. The primary beneficiary of these two deals is Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop. And, in both instances, the deals were specifically designed to suit Ramroop. Taking a whip at the most recent revelation that the Jagdeo Cabinet designed the Guyana Learning Channel to be aired by Ramroop’s TVG for $3.6M monthly, Ramjattan said that it was a move by Jagdeo to further enrich his close friend. According to Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, during Thursday’s post-Cabinet press-briefing, when the issue of the Learning Channel was presented to Cabinet by former Education Minister Shaik Baksh certain considerations were raised, including whether Government would continue to provide for the maintenance of this divide, making the benefits of the Learning Channel accessible, and movement of information and broadcast. “And, he (Baksh) was sent back to do a design that ensured that there was equitable distribution, that this is the basis for the satellite uplink, because those signals to get into hinterland regions, to get into the far-flung regions, terrestrially, couldn’t be done. We don’t have the facilities on the ground.” Current Education Minister Priya Manickchand recently told the National Assembly that “the Guyana Learning Channel has the use of a teleport that was created at the time of its set-up since there was no other teleport capable of up-linking video signals in existence in Guyana, before or since,” Manickchand said. She said that for the channel to send its signal to the satellite, it would have had to put commensurate service that would have required an initial capital outlay of US$150,000 plus monthly recurring costs of over $4M in bandwidth rental and associated services. The Minister added that because the Learning Channel’s bandwidth is bundled with the bandwidth of TVG, they are able to negotiate better rates from the satellite operators.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

According to the AFC leader, contracting TVG for this multi-million-dollar project is a perfect example of how the favoured ones get rental contracts from Government. He stressed that the Government should have invested in the necessary technologies for the Learning Channel instead of contracting a ‘privately owned’ television station. Ramjattan offered two options that Government should have considered before even thinking of contracting a friend. His first option was creating a television station for the Learning Channel where jobs could have been created for media and education professionals. He opined that the University of Guyana should have been responsible for that television station, where much needed funds could have been generated. While, this would have been a profitable venture for the University it would have been a loss for Government since their friends’ finance campaigns during National and Regional Elections, Ramjattan opined. Ramjattan recalled that several years ago Government went as far as amending the Fiscal Enactments (Amendment) legislation to enable Ramroop’s investments in the Sanata Complex and not just redesigning a project in its initial phase like the Learning Channel. Apparently, Government had offered a tax holiday to Ramroop for his investments in the Sanata Complex. However, the tax holiday was illegal at the time and the Jagdeo Government rushed to the National Assembly to make it legal. Even if the Opposition had disagreed to the amendment of the Fiscal Enactments (Amendment) their voices would have been over powered by Government who had the ultimate say. Ramjattan, in 2008, in the Ninth Parliament when Government had the majority of seats had said that the Sanata Complex deal stinks to ‘high heavens’. The late Winston Murray, People’s National Congress Member of Parliament, had noted that the previous legislation had taken from the President the unfettered authority to grant tax holidays to investors. The amendments in the current Bill sought to “in essence” reside it to the Minister of Finance. Murray had noted that in the Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh’s opening argument he pointed to the fact that the Principal Act contained several typographical and numerical errors in nature. “It has remained in the Act for the last five years and he (Finance Minister) never sought to correct it,” Murray had said.

Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop

He had added that any doubts that he may have had that the two were related were laid to rest following the privatization and taxation seminar where the head of the Guyana Office for Investment, Geoff Da Silva said, “We made a mistake and thought that it was covered in the law.” Murray had stated, “Confession is good for the soul…I hope that he (Da Silva) does not suffer any adverse consequences.” According to Ramjattan, the Learning Channel and the Sanata Complex are very similar deals orchestrated by Jagdeo. He noted that the Sanata Complex deal went a step further to garner more monies. He said that Ramroop used the facility to build a warehouse/storage facility. This facility enabled Ramroop the leverage to get the contracts to purchase and store pharmaceuticals at the expense of taxpayers. Khemraj stressed that had it not been the discovery of this lawlessness and mounting of pressure Government would not have erected its own storage facility. He stressed that all the monies spent in rental could have been used to erect the storage facility in the first place but again Jagdeo ‘fattens’ his friend at the expense of taxpayers.