Dear Editor,
For over a decade the government and its political apparatus have been relentless in their antagonism towards the peoples of Region 10 in the economic and social spheres. Guyanese need to note that even during times of an open show of friendship, the government’s agents have destabilised any form or programme of development. Contrary to government’s propaganda, activities to halt, undermine or curtail economic programmes have continued, even while the government was campaigning for votes from the people of Linden.
Guyanese need to note that the Government of Guyana under the PPP sold the Linden steam power plant to Texas Ohio Energy under a lease purchase agreement signed in 1998.
In their haste to own and control Region10 they failed to conduct a due diligence on Texas Ohio Energy; they unilaterally sold property belonging to the people of the region without any meeting with residents or their local leaders on the issue; and they failed to respond to reports that the company did not have the prerequisite administrative and technical skills to manage a steam power plant. The Prime Minister was the government point man on the sale of the region’s infrastructure.
Texas Ohio Energy undermanned and destroyed the only cost-effective electrical generation entity in the region – our steam power plant – resulting in damage, and then quickly took flight.
Sebrae, the Brazilian umbrella body for business and economic development, visited the leadership of the regional administration and the Town Council. They held discussions with local leaders for the building of the Brazil-Lethem-Linden road. They wanted this to be fast-tracked owing to the fact they had need to move 40 tons of fertilizer through Region 10 to Brazil. On our part we had to renovate 100 bridges. Between Linden and Lethem over 500 direct jobs were on the table, excluding spin-off jobs. We at the RDC along with support from the Office of the Prime Minister did the engineering specifications for the bridges. This was three years plus ago. To date the government has stalled the project.
The Linden Economic Network (LEN), the successor programme to the LEAP lending facility languishes without funding to make micro-loans available to residents, while the funding for this facility continues to be held like private property by the administration.
An overseas investor engaged the RDC on the development of the lone airstrip in Linden. Experts came and conducted all the necessary feasibility studies and plans were submitted to the government, but this is Linden, hence this too was lost in the labyrinth of PPP underdevelopment.
Editor, the Prime Minister is aware that when over 5000 energy saving bulbs were distributed in Linden, electricity consumption fell to lows never experienced in the history of the town. We asked for the import licences to bring in these bulbs, and this too was denied. The case here for all Guyanese to see is that the government’s focus is not cost saving, as touted 25×7 by the PM on NCN.
During 2003 and 2004 the government filed particulars of its claim against Texas Ohio and went through the pre-arbitration activities including discovery proceedings, amendments to claims, submission of names of witnesses, preparation of pre-arbitration memoranda and written testimonies of witnesses. The arbitration panel comprised John Wilkinson (chairman) of the law firm Fulton, Rowe, Hart & Coon; David Wagoner arbitrator and mediator; and Yaroslav, a full-time arbitrator. The Government of Guyana claimed US$998,600 for loss of bauxite sales; US$1,250,000 for the failure of Texas Ohio to apply insurance proceedings to repair or rebuild the plant or remit those proceeds to government; and US$2,052,393 for the loss of the power plant.
It should be noted that nowhere did the government make any claim for the millions of dollars that were lost through the company failing and causing local businesses to collapse, homes to lose appliances, etc. The Prime Minister was called to testify. He spent three-and-a-half days giving testimony and under cross-examination; Mr Winston Brassington was also cross-examined.
The Prime Minister owes the nation an explanation as to why the government took the only steam generating plant, sold it and never replaced it. He also needs to explain what has happened to the US$4.2 million arbitration money; why no claim was made on behalf of the residents who suffered millions in losses; why Lindeners were denied the opportunity to import energy-saving bulbs from Cuba; why there has been a hold-up of the Brazil-Lethem-Linden Road; and why there is a hold-up in the loan funds for the LEN.
Yours faithfully,
Renis Morian
Member of Parliament
APNU
Region 10
