Dear Editor,
In response to my letter which appeared in SN on May 28, wherein I expressed concern about the financial viability of the newly constructed Plantain Chip Factory on the Island of Leguan, Sherod Duncan, Communications Officer in the Ministry of Business (MoB) pointed out that it was conceived by the PPP/C government. He said that the APNU+AFC Administration decided to have it reviewed and then to complete it. A similar project for the island of Wakenaam was determined unfeasible.
Construction of the Leguan Factory was authorized by the MoB and it was recently completed.
In an article which appeared in the news media on May 23, Ms. Jagernauth, Permanent Secretary, of the MoB stated that the Ministry was in the process of reviewing qualifications of persons to manage the factory. She further asserted that only one response was received from an advertisement to operate the Factory.
Mr. Duncan in his letter of June 1, elaborated by stating that a company was selected to operate the Factory under a Lease Agreement.
The Terms and Conditions under which a Lease Agreement was made by the APNU+AFC Government. to a Company without prior experience to operate the newly completed Plantain Chip Factory on the Island of Leguan, built without due diligence at considerable expense to the country, should be available for public scrutiny. The details will indicate without any shadow of a doubt whether another “White Elephant” has been born under the watchful eyes of the APNU+AFC Administration, since as a matter of national concern, any Government loss making enterprise will have to be supported by public financing as is now the case with GuySuCo and other Government-funded projects.
Yours faithfully,
Charles Sohan
