The announcement by government that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Fedders Lloyd, a reputable Indian company, relating to the Specialty Hospital project, has attracted several negative comments. During the life of the last government, the then opposition consisting of both the AFC and APNU had refused to support the Specialty Hospital. The AFC’s 
opposition was founded on the suspect award of the contract to Surendra Engineering, a spare parts supplier, rather than Fedders Lloyd, which had a track record in the construction of such facilities and had made the lowest bid. APNU argued that Guyana needed improved primary care centres, rather than a specialized facility. One high official suggested that “Indians” were “taking over.” Chinese and Brazilian immigrants, who should be applauded for their valuable contributions to Guyana, were spared.
The Specialty Hospital project was good for Guyana and I strongly supported it at the time and criticized the opposition, including for dragging ethnic considerations into the issue. I believed that their reasons for opposing the project were unjustified. Now that the government has reversed its position and signed on to the project, it ought to be congratulated. I look forward to a similar reversal on the Amaila Hydropower Project.
The government has not displayed any enthusiasm for an effective public relations system and capacity, which would have answered the criticisms that are being made in gloating and triumphant glee by the opposition. The first criticism is of the MOU with Fedders Lloyd without a new bidding process, and the
