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Skeldon Estate…“Govt. not signing away assets, it’s just a MoU for a study!” – Trotman

Jan 20, 2017 News

Weeks after officials of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) confirmed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Guyana Government and a prospective investor who is interested in purchasing the Skeldon Estate, the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman yesterday sought to ‘set the record straight’
Trotman was at the time deputising for the State Minister, Joseph Harmon at the Government’s weekly Post-Cabinet Press Conference at the Ministry of the Presidency, Georgetown.
A few days ago, a section of the media had reported that the Government had entered into a “secret deal” with an overseas company for an alleged takeover of the Skeldon Estate, Berbice.
Trotman dismissed this saying that there is “no such thing as a secret deal.”
He expounded that documents were shared with the main Parliamentary Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C); GuySuCo; and respective Trade Unions.
“Copies were made available, so it’s not true to say that it was something hidden. It is just what it says, a Memorandum of Understanding. I have no doubt that the Ministry of Business will not object to the document being released. There is no confidentiality clause to it.” Trotman said.
The Minister as if to solidify his claim, quoted a section of the agreement which he read: “This MoU constitutes a strategic liaison between the company and Go-Invest, intended to formulate and facilitate development of a feasibility study for an integrated sugar cane processing facility for GuySuCo’s assets.”
The Minister’s aim to ‘set the record straight’, would have come days after the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), called on the David Granger-led administration to be ‘forthright’ claiming that they have been left in the dark.
GAWU, through its General Secretary (GS), Seepaul Narine, told media operatives that they were reliably informed by ‘credible’ sources about the MoU.
“We were informed that an examination of the Estate was done by the would-be owner and great interest is shown in the two lucrative co-generation units,” the GS had stated.
He added that the potential buyer is also interested in the Enmore Estate, eyeing the packaging plant as well.
GAWU President, Komal Chand, when quizzed on the identity of the potential buyer, said that based on the information he has received thus far, all fingers are pointing to a company operating out of the United States. He did not commit to naming the entity.
Trotman said yesterday that the MoU is not to “sign the assets of GuySuCo away, but to conduct a feasibility study”.
With regards to the article, Trotman dismissed it as “mischief “.
“So the mischief about take-over and all that is just what it is – mischief, false, and should not be repeated or peddled. So it is just a MoU to conduct a feasibility study. There is nothing here that signs the assets away, it is just meant to conduct a study,” Trotman reiterated.

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