Contract cancellation, why?

Feb 14, 2022 Editorial

Kaieteur News – The PPP/C Government and its Vice President may think they are both off the hook, and that the wind has blown over, or will soon blow over on this searing allegation of bribe taking by the Vice President.
This scandalous development is not going anywhere in a hurry, as much as both the government and the Vice President may wish for it to disappear into the murk, like so many other suspicious matters in Guyana. This is because some things out in public space are not adding up, and they look bad for the government and its besieged leader.
When the reporter of VICE News first posed the question with this startling allegation of bribe taking, the Vice President was not himself, not the arrogant, impatient, and intolerant man and leader that he is known to be, and as the record supports. When he should have been beside himself with vehement anger, he was a stuttering, balking, pawing shadow of himself. Still, that does not denounce him, but it does not exonerate him, either. He is on record as denying what was alleged against him by this mysterious, corporate butterfly (in Guyanese speech, a marabunta) identified as Mr. Su.
According to subsequent media reports, the same Mr. Su has also denied ever making such an allegation about the Vice President in the context of bribe taking, as previously alleged and extensively covered. Though not unexpected, and because he has no choice, His Excellency, President Irfaan Ali, chipped in with his own vote of confidence and endorsement of his Vice President. This is all well and good, and should have signaled that all is well that ends well, except, something is not well at all, but is very rotten in Guyana, and inexplicably so.
There have been denials all around. Some not as vigorous as they should be, some under the appearance of force of circumstances correction (that is, duress), and some that seem too smooth and too pat – as in orchestrated. Because all have been denied, and all is well (or should be), there should be no issue at all with contracts as they stand, especially the one related to the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, for which a Chinese company was already the holder. Everybody involved in this seemingly tawdry affair should be moving on, and getting down to doing the business for which they are responsible.
Meaning, the Vice President concentrating even more on oil management and whatever else he has monopolised for himself. The President returns to the normalcy of his public relations exercises. The Chinese to building whatever they have been engaged to do. But, the contract for the new bridge, all $53 billion plus of it, has been cancelled, revoked, with the PPP/C Government and the Vice President putting the kibosh on that multibillion-dollar baby. Why? Why this has to be so, is what we at this publication, on behalf of all Guyana, want to know? Why was this still necessary, given all the denials by all involved following the ugly bribe taking allegations coming to light?
It could be a case of righteous indignation taken to an entirely new level. Whether that righteous indignation is genuine or pretended is not our focus, but simply why this had to be, since the parties to the bribery allegation have cleared the air (denials), and all are supposedly in the clear, back to what should be good terms. In sum, whatever harm was intended was improperly motivated, and maliciously and falsely inflicted, with no foul resulting. Yet, the contract was cancelled which begs a number of questions.
Former Minister, David Patterson, has raised the issue pressing for answers, and we at this publication have the same concerns. The Government, through its leading voices in this worrying set of circumstances needs to step forward and set the record straight. The President and Vice President owe the country, citizens, and the Chinese principals also, convincing explanations on why this cancellation step still stands. There cannot be more of this game playing, or more of these mysteries continuing to dog what might only be a headache to be rid of, for the government, but a nightmare for Guyana.

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