WHILE THE OPPOSITION IS FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRATIC IMCs…

Sep 14, 2012 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, the head of the Privatization Unit, Mr. Winston Brassington, and a consultant, Mr. Steven Grin, were reportedly in China as part of the government’s team to ink the contract for the construction of the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project.
These individuals may as well have been joined by the combined opposition in Guyana, because by their protracted silence on this project ever since the Budget Debate, the opposition has effectively given the government a green light to sign the contract.
Any criticisms that the opposition will now muster will ring hollow. They should not even think about speaking out now. For months they hardly said anything that would have deterred the government from proceeding. From all indications, the government must have felt that the opposition was on board the signing of this contract.
The opposition has been very ambivalent when it came to this contract. On the other hand they were vociferous and forceful in their opposition to the Marriott Hotel contract. They made compelling arguments as to why this hotel project should not go forward. They have not, however, done the same when it comes to the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project.
It would seem, therefore, that the opposition has abdicated its responsibility as a watchdog for the people in so far as this contract is concerned.
The Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project is the single, largest investment ever in the history of this country, even dwarfing the combined investments that occurred under Desmond Hoyte.
The government, therefore, mindful that they have a minority in the National Assembly, would not have proceeded unless they were confident that they could count on the future support of the opposition. After all, this is not a NICIL project. The funds will have to pass through the Consolidated Fund and therefore opposition approval will be necessary. The fact that the contract was inked means that the government feels that it has or can obtain this support.
The government, of course, did not do anything behind the opposition’s back. They made known all the facts by having a special briefing for the opposition, with the investors.
It can now only be inferred that the opposition was impressed with this briefing, because ever since that meeting, this project seems to have fallen off their radar. They simply were not publicly opposing it.
One would have expected that even if they did not feel inclined to oppose this project, they would have at least tried to justify their apparent non-opposition by explaining to the Guyanese people just why they have been so muted about this project.
They should also have tried to explain to the Guyanese people whether they are satisfied about the cost at which electricity will be supplied to their homes. They should also explain to the Guyanese people what explanations were given to them about the sudden steep increase in the project cost and whether they felt this was justified.
Surely, the opposition owes the people of Guyana an explanation of whether they undertook any technical assessment of their own, based on what they were told at the briefing, and any documents that the government would have released to them.
If they felt that there was not sufficient information available to provide answers to the burning concerns that exist about this project, then the opposition was duty-bound to make a statement indicating this fact. They have not, and no doubt the government feels that none will be forthcoming.
As such, effectively, the government may have felt that when it comes to the opposition, they have nothing to worry about this project which was negotiated under the Jagdeo administration and sealed under the Donald Ramotar presidency.
And to think that the opposition mouthpieces are saying that since he became president, Donald Ramotar has done nothing. They perhaps are so pulsed by their own illusions of importance following their one–seat majority in parliament that they are missing all the action.
They are expecting Donald Ramotar to be making changes and reversing things. Not seeing these things, they are deluding themselves into believing that nothing is happening and that what we have is a lame-duck presidency.
Well, they are dead wrong, because it is clear that the Donald Ramotar administration is moving forward with all of the major projects that it said it would develop.
The Marriott Hotel is under construction. Within three years that hotel will be up and running. The deal for the Amaila Falls Project has been inked. Within five years, Guyana will have hydroelectricity. The cable from Brazil being run by another Chinese company is continuing. Within two years Guyana would be high tech when it comes to information services.  The airport at Timehri is about to begin. That will be finished within two years also, as will the specialty hospital.
And while all of this is happening, the opposition is preoccupied with interim management committees.
The art of effective opposition seems beyond them. They just do not get it and probably never will.

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