The advertised Expression of Interest for the Marriott casino does not make business sense

Dear Editor, The recently advertised Expression of Interest (EOI) for the casino located at the government owned but branded Marriott Hotel is mystifying and quite surprising. One remembers the 2016 forensic audit had indicated the Marriott hotel was projected to cost US$60 million, but it actually cost taxpayers almost US$90 million. Indeed, the deal was made more burdensome to Guyana by the granting of 5 monopoly agreements to the Marriott brand without their investment of a single dollar. This reminds us of the Janet Jagan giveaway of oil blocks and the repeated argument that Guyana was negotiating without any leverage. One remembers that the previous PPP government was giving away the shop by offering 67% of our US$90 million investment to a Chinese group for US$8 million, after Guyana had borrowed high cost money from Republic Bank to build.

My mystification with the current EOI lies in the memory that an Entertainment Centre comprised of a high end casino, a five star restaurant and an upscale nightclub worthy of the Marriott’s blessings was to be built for approximately US$12 million and would have had a separate investor from the lease arrangements of the Marriott brand.

Reading the current EOI, it seems as if the Atlantic Hotels Inc Board is seeking an entity to invest millions in a casino with the benefits of the restaurant and an upscale club again being grabbed by the Marriott. Again without a single dollar being invested by the Marriott. Is history repeating itself? Why does this EOI smell fishy or targeted? It seems as if only the casino is being offered, which means the Marriott brand will receive all the benefits of the new client base with the Government of Guyana again being asked to invest taxpayers’ money in building the nightclub and the restaurant to be managed by the Marriott. It