THE UNITED STATES IS NOT LISTENING

Sep 03, 2010 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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The government is upset with the Alliance For Change (AFC) for having the gumption to complain to the United States administration about the Amalia Falls Hydroelectric Project.
The AFC has been described as being unpatriotic. But had the government been more forthcoming to the nation about the details of this project, had they been willing to lay before the National Assembly the details of the many agreements that have been signed in the run-up to this project, there would hardly have been the need for the AFC to take this matter to the United States.
The government, however, remains secretive about the details of the project. There has also been a major controversy about the awarding of the road construction aspect of this project, and therefore in its quest to push for greater accountability and transparency, the AFC is seeking to put political pressure on the government to provide greater details about this project.
The PPP did the same when it was in opposition for 28 years. It gallivanted around the world exposing the excesses of the ruling government. It tried to isolate the then ruling PNC regime. Yet it never saw itself as being unpatriotic in exercising what is a legitimate function of opposition parties, but one of its leaders now has the temerity to accuse an opposition party of being unpatriotic.
The government does not have to worry about the United States taking action based on the complaints and lobbying efforts of the AFC. The United States government acts in self-interest and when it comes to the Amalia Falls Hydroelectric Project, the United States could not give a damn about what a small opposition party here has to say about the lack of disclosure.
The United States knows that when this project is executed, its nationals will benefit from consultancies and the provision of goods and services. In fact, the bulk of the expertise, equipment and supplies for this project, is going to be sourced from the United States of America. Why then should the United States jeopardize the business interests of its nationals by taking a stand against this project? And in any event, nothing that the United States says about this project will discourage its nationals from doing business with those behind this project.
The US has also, through its own bilateral assistance, demonstrated that it is deaf when it comes to the concerns of local opposition groups. It took a lukewarm position as regards the dossier and signed a major aid agreement with the Guyana government, despite it being aware of the concerns over some major projects.
The US believes that its long-term interests in Guyana would be better secured by strengthening the systems of governance, rather than taking a confrontational stance in Guyana. It, along with the donor community, wishes to see stability in Guyana, for it is this stability that would provide a better environment for the securing of the US’s vital security interests here.
The US is not going to indefinitely fork out the millions that are needed every five years for free and fair elections. It is therefore more interested in ensuring that elections are held regularly, that those elections meet basic standards of freeness and fairness, and that the will of the people is respected after the elections. It knows that its own interests have been hurt because of the climate created by political instability, which has allowed forces inimical to US interests to rise to the forefront. And this is why there is this continued stress on improving governance.
Those improvements have not yet reached the stage whereby the government feels obligated to make full and open disclosures about certain controversial projects in Guyana. But the US, judging from its reactions, is keener to work progressively towards this goal, rather than make demands that could undermine its relationship with the government and thus undermine the US’s national security concerns.
The AFC must appreciate these facts. It has an obligation to inform the US about its own views. It has a right to go to Washington and discuss Guyana. But it should not expect much, because the United States is simply not prepared to undermine stability in Guyana or to isolate the ruling PPP administration.
The AFC cannot ask the US to place pressure on the Jagdeo administration to be more transparent about the Amalia Falls Hydroelectric Project. The only way that the US government will take a public position on this project is if it is it supplied with incontrovertible evidence, not suspicion, that dirty money will find its way into this project. Until the AFC can prove this, until it has the evidence to this effect, it is wasting its time and energy lobbying Washington.

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