Jagdeo rebukes Harmon over contracts statement

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo today lambasted Minister of State Joseph Harmon on the matter of why contracts and evaluation reports for key projects like the Amaila Hydropower Project have not been released.

A statement from Jagdeo’s office follows:

Comments by Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Bharrat Jagdeo, MP., in response to Minister of State, Honourable Joseph Harmon,MP.

I find it extremely strange that Minister Harmon would not respond to the totality of my statement. I had asked for the APNU+AFC Government to release the evaluation reports and contracts for several projects initiated by the PPP/C Government which they have labeled as corrupt.

While Mr. Harmon has said he is still to set his eyes on the contracts for the Amaila Falls Hydropower project and the Specialty Hospital, in both cases I can prove a different story. I am reliably informed that the Ramotar Administration gave several briefings to APNU and AFC on the Amaila Falls Hydropower project and most of the technical documents were shared with them in that period. I am also aware that in the post-election period a CD containing the documents related to the Amaila project was given to a Cabinet sub-committee. It is not my fault if they don’t even know what they have.  Mr. Harmon can easily check that CD and find the documents.

On the issue of the Specialty Hospital, how can Mr. Harmon say that he cannot find the contract or the evaluation report for release? It was the same evaluation report that the APNU+AFC Government used to justify their push of Fedders Lloyd as the new contractor, claiming that that company was ranked number two in the evaluation report, a contention that was proven to be inaccurate.

However, I will deal with these issues more comprehensively on my return to Guyana.

It is clear that APNU+AFC is fearful of releasing the evaluation reports and contracts for projects they dubbed corrupt because the Coalition Government would be further exposed for misleading Guyanese on these matters. At the end of the day, APNU+AFC cannot run from its promise of being transparent and accountable to the Guyanese people. They have a responsibility to release the evaluation reports and contracts for those projects under the PPP/C they labeled as corrupt.

Furthermore, I saw Mr. Harmon saying I can’t run Government from Freedom House. But at no time would I want to be credited with managing the incompetence that APNU+AFC Government is passing off to the Guyanese people as governing this country.