Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:40 AM
Belt & Road MoU with China should be made public – Finance Minister
China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun (left) and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, singing the MoU on July 27.
There is nothing to hide in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Guyana and China to execute loan-financed projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – a scheme used globally by China to provide financial support for infrastructural projects.
This is the view expressed by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, when questioned by Kaieteur News about the MoU being made public. In fact, he thought it was already released to the public.
“I don’t know there is anything to hide in the Belt and Road initiative. I thought it was made public. I am sure next time you meet the President [David Granger] you can ask for it,” Jordan told Kaieteur News.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to release the MoU which was signed between Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, and Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jainchun, on July 27.
In contrast, the energy MoU signed between Guyana and Trinidad was released on September 19, the same day it was signed by President David Granger and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley.
Government appears to be speeding towards executing projects under the (BRI) and is said to be currently searching for projects. Jordan stated that the MoU also does not identify any projects.
“You still have to go the route of feasibility studies,” Jordan noted.
The BRI is increasingly causing concerns. It is seen globally as a debt trap for countries like Ghana and Sri Lanka where China in some cases ended up owning the infrastructure, including major ports.
President David Granger had said that the government “must go into these agreement with its eyes wide open”.
He said that Government recognises that Guyana needs infrastructure in order to develop and this is the main reason Guyana is courting China’s BRI.
Granger had told the media that Guyana is going to be prudent in its approach to projects under the BRI which is developing a reputation on the international stage as a debt trap for small nations of interest to China.
Last month’s visit by China’s State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, has accelerated discussions on the BRI.
During bilateral discussions between Greenidge and Yi, the two sides examined ways to move forward with BRI.
Despite the concerns, Greenidge was adamant that Guyana and China will move forward with the cooperation areas identified under the MoU.
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