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Jagdeo warns int’l agencies about disbursing funds to an “illegal” Govt.
Leader of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, has issued a call to international agencies to desist from further funding the projects of the “illegal” government.
During his weekly Thursday press conference, Jagdeo stated that the Caretaker A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) government has “accelerated the illegalities” during this period and the monies that have been disbursed to them might not be repaid if the PPP/C wins the upcoming General and Regional Elections.
Jagdeo said, “The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) who insists on disbursing funds, or a few others who insist on disbursing funds and approving contracts, are… in contravention of our laws.
“They can’t claim they’ve not been warned. They have a court ruling. It will have implications for the funds in the future; repayment of the funds.”
The Opposition Leader made specific reference to the recently awarded Kato Hydropower project, which attracted $495 million. The contract, which awarded to BJ’s Civil Works was signed for the design, supply, and installation of a 150kW hydropower plant at Kato Village in Region Eight, Potaro-Siparuni.
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
He further told reporters that he is not in disapproval of the hydropower project; however, he does have issues with the Government “abusing the process and doing it in an unconstitutional way.”
“The expenditure that is inconsistent with the routine function of the government will be illegal, even in this period. They should not have even done that, even for smaller contracts, much less a contract like that.”
However, during a meeting that was held between the President of the IDB, Mr. Luis Alberto Moreno, Jagdeo recounted that the disbursing of funds to his attention.
“I don’t think that Guyanese taxpayers must repay monies that have that have been stolen with the complicity of some of these organisations, and particularly their local offices,” he related.
The General Secretary of the political opposition, on number occasions, has warned the Government over the past nine months that contracts would be deemed invalid by the PPP/C, should they emerge victorious in the elections.
Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, listed several contracts that were awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), and noted by Cabinet, in early September.
Jagdeo addressed the companies, which were awarded the contracts Harmon listed, stating “Let me just say… that none of those contracts are valid.”
He continued that he will not recognise the contracts handed out by the government, as its powers have been vastly reduced, following its defeat on December 21, 2018, by a Motion of No Confidence Motion in the National Assembly.
“We will treat them as contracts that have been illegally granted,” Jagdeo added.
Harmon had said that the contracts awarded constitute much-needed road construction and upgrades in regions four, six and ten.
According to the Department of Public Information, the contracts totaled $729M.
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