Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:40 AM
In the absence of parliamentary democracy
DEAR EDITOR,
In the absence of parliamentary democracy in our nation, it would appear that Members of Parliament are condemned to debate via the letter columns. Unfortunately, in these columns, officials of the government are not bound to stand by their statements whether half-baked, or being economical with the truth, since there are no sanctions based upon privileges.
Mr. Patterson’s swift, obfuscated, irrelevant and deflective missive in reply to my own letter, is a case in point, as it is transparent for all to see. I must thank him for stepping up to the microphone, so that the real Patterson is on display. So let’s engage!
Since you have a feasibility study for your 188 MW natural gas-powered plant, please tell us the following: A. Total investment cost. B. Cost of the pipeline from offshore Guyana to bring the gas onshore. C. Which company will be providing the natural gas offshore Guyana? D. What is the cost per KW hour? E. What will be the cost saving to the Guyanese consumer? F. Where would these natural gas generators be located? G. What would it cost GPL to bring this power supply into the grid?
I expect answers with the same alacrity as your previous reply.
On the issue of the GCAA headquarters, can you tell us what percentage of funding will come from GCAA revenues and what percentage from government? Will this be a loan or will this be based on expected oil money? Since your every pipe dream is being sold as available with oil money.
Don’t be stubborn Mr. Patterson, what is the completion date for the CJIA project. No fancy footwork, a straight answer, eight months and counting have passed since the 31st December 2018 which was your declared completion date to the National Assembly. Did we get value for money?
On the D’Urban Park fiasco, the question is not if you gave what you think the Auditor General required, it is: Have you given the AG an account for all the monies expended on this white elephant, and is there full accountability and transparency as promised?
Are you going to continue to dispute a public pronouncement of a large international company such as Virgin Atlantic in the face of their clear denial of requesting or planning to ‘come’ to Guyana in the near future?
The Demerara Harbour Bridge Feasibility study is not about what SOCU said, the question that must be answered is: how were tens of millions expended beyond the cabinet approved sum from the Demerara Harbour Bridge asphalt plant account and same not declared publicly? Further, when asked the question in parliament, you claimed ignorance.
An examination of the Demerara Harbour Bridge accounts is what we are talking about, there was a follow-up complaint to the Public Procurement Commission of awarding sums beyond the bid price, and that is now the subject of an investigation by the Auditor General.
Thanks for admiring and acknowledging the transformative efforts of the PPPC, and its successful modernisation of Guyana. You are now asking for feasibility studies for projects that have been completed, and financed, some by external financial institutions, I am asking for feasibility studies for your ‘announcements’ yet to be discussed in any forum.
The transparency and accountability you promised Guyana in 2015, was never you show me yours and I’ll show you mine.
Yours Truly
Bishop Juan A. Edghill
PPP/C MP
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