Ramotar believes “secrecy” breeds suspicion

Apr 01, 2012 News

… wants open policy on government contracts/agreements-Ambassador Dabydeen

Guyana’s Ambassador to China, Professor David Dabydeen, following a recent meeting with Head of

Head of State, Donald Ramotar

State, Donald Ramotar, says that the President is fully committed to transparency and openness as far as is feasible when it comes to deals that the government would undertake with developmental partners.
In an interview with Kaieteur News last week, Dabydeen said that the President would not reject documents being released to interested and affected stakeholders to facilitate further scrutiny of the documents as well as illustrate the administrations above-the-board policy when it comes to contract details and the various agreements that the government would have committed the nation to.
“The President believes that secrecy breeds suspicion,” said Dabydeen even as he hinted that the administration is exploring ways to have a more transparent arrangement.
However, there may be a limit on how much the government may release.
The diplomat explained that there will be instances where negotiations dictate a confidentially arrangement between parties and this will have to be respected.
Under constant pressure to come clean on massive infrastructure projects, the Donald Ramotar government in mid-March released the contracts for some of the most contentious deals signed by the previous Bharrat Jagdeo Government.
Contracts were released for the consultancy project for the access road to the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project site; the prospective Marriott Hotel and the expansion of the country’s lone international airport.
The government also recently invited Opposition Parliamentary parties to a special briefing on the Amaila Falls Hydro Project which the administration hopes will completely cover the country’s electricity demand – 154 megawatts – at a lower rate to consumers.
“(This government) is responsive, open, transparent and has nothing to hide,” Dr. Ashni Singh, the Minister of Finance, had said when the documents were finally released.
Dr. Singh and Head of the Privatisation Unit, Winston Brassington, had earlier objected to such a release saying that it would set a bad precedent.
They were at the time responding to a request by this publication for the contract document inked with Makeswhar ‘Fip’ Motilall of Synergy Holdings Inc. Synergy who it will be recalled, was awarded the US$15.4M road project to Amaila Falls under highly suspicious circumstances. Government had stoutly defended the contract award to Synergy, refuting reports that the company had no evidence of road building experience. The contract was taken away in January by government as Synergy fell behind on deadlines and failed to secure a mandatory bond.

Guyana’s Ambassador to China Professor David Dabydeen

Dr. Singh, while presenting the documents to the media recently, said that they were released at that time and not earlier because of confidentiality agreements.
“There are several significant confidential obligations, because we are speaking with a large investor and you are speaking to large financial institutions and you’re still in the process of negotiations.
“There are very clear confidentiality obligations as it relates to disclosure and excessively earlier disclosures,” Dr. Singh stressed.
He suggested that the government has not been given enough credit for its disclosures, claiming that volumes upon volumes of documents sit in the National Assembly.