The Marriott deal is unraveling

Just before the elections of 2011 there was a hive of activities in Guyana. Numerous projects were identified and deals finalized because there seemed to be a rush to expend money that had been secured from some external sources.
The government identified the construction of the Marriott Hotel, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion and the continuation of the road leading to the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project. The government also moved ahead to initiate construction of a Specialty Hospital.
Of course, the question was raised whether the government might not consider it prudent to attempt these projects after the elections. The very People’s Progressive Party, when it was in opposition campaigned both locally and internationally for the then ruling People’s National Congress to hold all projects until after the elections.
At the time the PNC had secured loans for the construction of the Essequibo Coast road and for the resurfacing of the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. The argument was that the new government should have a say in any project being undertaken and should not be saddled with any responsibility created by the former government.
The then President Bharrat Jagdeo was asked about declining to execute any contract until after the elections. His contention was that development should not hinge on any elections, a far cry from the action of his party when it was in opposition.
Such variations in the party’s position on national issues have led to the problems we now have with almost all of the projects that came on stream just prior to the elections. Over the weekend, a former member of the Central Committee of the ruling party stated that projects failed because there were no public relations.
He was not the only person to believe that the government opted to be secretive about its dealings. It is as though the government has developed an arrogance that whatever it does cannot be challenged or should not be questioned. This certainly led to the collapse of the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project. The parliamentary opposition began to ask questions.  At the same time members of civil society challenged some of the costs associated with the project.
As the questions were asked and the challenges increased the answers changed. With each new answer there was suspicion. As the project continued the situation changed but the questions did not diminish. In order to escape public scrutiny Head of NICIL and the government point man in the projects, Winston Brassington, began to claim confidentiality.
The harsh reality is that the wider society is now coming to the conclusion that many of the statements that the officials made about the projects were far from the truth. It was as if the answers to the questions were intended to simply offer answers.
For example, when the government announced the One Laptop Per Family project there was the issue of the money voted for the project. Then the Chinese announced that they were contributing to the project and they did contribute millions of dollars thus necessitating a reduction in the cost of the programme to the Guyanese.
However, the government never spoke about the adjustment or about the increased numbers of laptops that would be added to the programme. In fact, some people stole more than 100 of the laptops and there has been no action except that some people were suspended.
And we come to the situation with the Marriott hotel. Initially the government said that it was the major partner in the project which would be co-funded by private enterprise.  The project is not completed but we now see that there is no private investor as promised. Indeed, when a local investor actually sought to put his money into the project, the architects actually told him that the project was over-subscribed.
It has now turned out that they lied; that there was no group of investors and the project was never over-subscribed. There were no private investors. Some private investor is now coming to buy the lion’s share in the hotel and the government is excited to sell.
Things are always not what they seem or what the officials say.

Jagdeo the Financial Genius has yet again demonstrated what a bonafide jackass and an incompetent nincompoop he is.

Why hasn't Ramjattan called for the sacking of Brassington yet? What is he waiting for a pay cheque from Sithe Global?

TK attacking Ramjhattan, who next his Parents???/