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If the Government of Guyana wants to revisit the Amaila Falls hydro project, it will have to either get permission from the American company, Sithe Global, or buy the “rights to the site” that the company owns. This was revealed recently by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan during an interview.
The Minister was responding to former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent comments about the legitimacy of Fip Motilall being given the contract to build the road to the Amaila Falls. Jagdeo said that the evaluation that was done concluded that Motilall was best suited for the job. He called on government to release the evaluation.
Yesterday, Jordan said that the audacity of Jagdeo²to try and justify the wrongs he committed against Guyana²is boundless.
“Yes, I heard him saying that (the Motilall contract was legitimate). But like this man ain’t shame? This man is not shame? You are telling me three education evaluators sat down and gave a road to be in a jungle to a man who never built a footpath. I mean, are we that ignorant? Come on, we cannot be serious.” Jordan said that before Jagdeo attempts to “go down that road, he should explain to this nation how a so called US$14M road ended up being over US$50M eventually. In the midst of it Mr. Man (Motilall) got more than half the money then disappeared.”
Further, Jordan said that he is in favour of “the entire story being investigated.” The Minister said that what he would really like to know is how Motilall ended up owning the rights to the Amaila Falls. He then sold the rights to the American company, Sithe Global. “Do you know we could not restart any work on Amaila Falls unless we buy out Sithe or unless they give us permission? They own the rights, Fip sold them the rights. Any works to start back on Amaila Falls still have to go to Sithe Global.” The Amaila Falls Hydro Project formed part of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). It was the brainchild of Jagdeo and was commissioned in 2009. However, the project was aborted after being plagued by corruption and political controversy.
(Kaieuteur
News)