A game of deception

May 27, 2014 Editorial

When a government refuses to take its population into its confidence it deserves to be rejected by those people. Over the past few years, Guyana, through Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited—NICIL—has been telling the people that it cannot disclose information on negotiations.
The first time the local media became aware that the government was not prepared to release information on its dealings with foreign companies was when the very people told the local media that they were in talks with the Guyana Government over plans to construct a hotel. The government was livid. Immediately it cancelled the talks with this company out of Grenada.
The next time that the local media got caught up in this debacle was when a Chinese company out of Jamaica released details of plans it had with the government for the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. This time the reaction by the Guyana Government was even harsher. Head of NICIL, Winston Brassington, called the company and a few hours later, the public relations officer simply told the local newspaper that it would have to get information out of the Guyana Government.
Lo and behold, the government got into talks with two Hong Kong men based in the British Virgin Islands over the Marriott Hotel. These two men had nothing against talking about their involvement and Khemraj Ramjattan released the information. The government knew that the story was out but kept quiet.
Brassington would not answer questions about the talks with the two Chinese businessmen and despite being accused of being irresponsible the media subsequently declined to publish further information. They could not confirm because the British Virgin Islands also had a law that prevented disclosure.
This business of confidentiality may be good if there is some business interest to protect. However, it is not unusual for companies to talk about their dealings. In the United States where companies are always entering into mergers or are going on sale the question of confidentiality does not arise. And if it does, someone on the inside always comments.
Many of the major businesses are on the stock exchange and their future depends on the movement of the stocks. To keep a deal under wraps could be considered criminal especially if that deal causes the price of the stocks to fall and people to lose money.
In the case of Guyana, Winston Brassington’s excuse is that media chases away potential investors. That is nothing but poppycock. In fact, it is patently dishonest. Before a company enters into an agreement with whatever it is in Guyana the decision makers would have researched Guyana and the company. We have all seen the damning reports about trying to do business in Guyana. These reports were not hatched by the local media.
The only reason for Brassington to insist that there be no disclosure of the deals is because he knows that when there is a signature the deal is complete. It is binding. The nation is then presented with a fait accompli—mission accomplished.
When these things happen and the newspapers react the government complains that the newspapers are hurting the economy. And in the same breath the government says that the economy is booming. Many of these contracts are so repulsive that should the nation become aware the people are bound to sanction the government.
The Berbice River Bridge is a case in point. The government used the public treasury to fund a significant portion of the bridge but gets nothing for its investment. For the National Investment Scheme to recover its money it had to sell its shares to a private company.
In the case of the Marriott, the government is not going to get a cent for its investment, all US$20 million of it. The other investors, many of them local but protected by Brassington’s confidentiality clause, will get significant dividends.
Is the government using the taxpayers to enhance the fortunes of a select few? Brassington has the answer.

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