t is already published in the Dr. Richard Van West Charles is the principal shareholder of ATLANTIC FUEL INC. It is also public knowledge that Dr. Richard Van West Charles is the Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Water Inc. (GWI).
Some important questions must be asked:
1. Did Dr. Van West Charles disclose to his employers, the Government of Guyana, that he is engaged in the business of importing, wholesaling and storing fuel?
2. Do these business operations conflict with Dr. Van West Charles’ current functions at GWI?
3. Have the particulars of Dr. Van West Charles’ business been disclosed to the Integrity Commission?
4. More, fundamentally, did Dr. Van West Charles get this licence lawfully or did he get it through the exercise of political clout and influence?
5. Were the requirements for the grant of such licences satisfied? These requirements are both numerous and onerous. They require the acquisition of suitable premises and facilities; they require suitable vehicles to transport fuel, including boats; they require environmental permits and an Environmental Impact Assessment; they require certificate from the Fire Department; they require the installation of certain devices and a host of other requirements which are contain in the Regulations made under the Guyana Energy Act which can found in the official Gazette dated 23rd December, 2014. These Regulations are over a 150 pages in length.
The nation is quickly learning that we seem to have a Government of
