Nabil Bentaleb Jersey UK yxihqfa3

sei8tron3

–    Marriot, Amaila, airportUnder constant pressure to come clean on massive infrastructure projects, the Donald RamotarDr Ashni Singh, Minister of Financegovernment yesterday released the contracts for some of the most contentious deals signed by the former Bharrat Jagdeo government.Contracts were released for the access road to the Amaila Falls Hydro Electricity Project site, the prospective Marriott Hotel and the expansion of the country’s lone international airport.Also yesterday, the government invited opposition Parliamentary parties to a special briefing on the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, which the government hopes will completely cover the country’s electricity demand – 154 megawatts – at a lower rate to consumers.“(This government) is responsive, open, transparent and has nothing to hide,” Dr Ashni Singh, the Minister of Finance stated at a press conference.He said that the government is on the verge of closing an investment deal for the project. Dr Singh said the investor is a subsidiary of the Blackstone Group –Sithe Global, but he did not give further details. The government has already identified China Railways to construct the hydro-power facility.With the investor, funds from Guyana’s forest-saving deal with Norway, equity from the developer – Sithe Global – together with loans financing from China and the Inter-American Development Bank will complete the financing for the project, which has been pegged at US$840 million.The release of the contract for the access road to Amaila Falls and the other contracts came ahead of today’s sitting of the National Assembly at which Alliance for Change (AFC) lead Parliamentarian, Khemraj Ramjattan, was expecting answers to several questions, including the timing of the release of the same contracts.But yesterday, in an attempt to promote the government as open and transparent, Dr Singh denied that the timing of the release of the documents had anything to do with Ramjattan’s move to the National Assembly to force the release of the documents.“We make them available at a time when it is most appropriate to do so. There are times when public availability of certain documentation would be premature and we will not make available documents prematurely,DeAndre Yedlin Jersey UK,” Singh said at the New Garden Street, Georgetown Presidential Complex.He said that the opposition has the right to ask questions on any matter of interest to them, and he charged that no question asked over the last five years was left unanswered.The documents released yesterday.Singh quipped that the release of the documents was just a matter of the government continuing its “distinguished tradition” of openness.He said that while there are confidentiality rules that have to be followed in the negotiations of large projects, the government has no problems making the disclosures to the political opposition.He said that the documents released yesterday could not have been provided earlier because of confidentiality agreements.“There are several significant confidential obligations, because we are speaking with a large investor and you are speaking to large financial institutions and you’re still in the process of negotiations.“There are very clear confidentiality obligations as it relates to disclosure and excessively earlier disclosures,” Dr Singh stressed.He suggested that the government has not been given enough credit for its disclosures, claiming that volumes upon volumes of documents sit in the National Assembly.Dr Singh held up all of the projects as being important to Guyana’s development, but said they were being undermined by “conjecture, speculation and insinuation.”Regarding the airport expansion project, he said that it would result in the extension of the runway, a new terminal building, passenger boarding bridges, elevators,Paul Aguilar Jersey, and a new commercial centre, that would be accessed by incoming and outgoing passengers as well as visitors to the airport.He said that the government is in “advanced” discussions with the Chinese Government for project financing and sees the involvement of major Chinese company – China Harbours Engineering Corporation – which was touted as a company “that has significant international footprint” as crucial.Dr Singh said that while the contract signing was only made known locally after press reports, the government had long signaled such a project.The government is still seeking a financier for the Marriott Hotel Project.The AFC had moved to the National Assembly to demand answers from the government given what was the penchant of the latter for resisting full disclosures,Diego Costa Jersey, including keeping signed deals secret, such as the deal with CHEC.Several questions have been asked of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Minister of Transport and Hydraulics,Sergi Roberto Jersey, Robeson Benn.Ramjattan has asked that Minister Benn provide copies of the contract documents for the road leading to Amaila Falls, with a breakdown of all payments made to date on the project.He is also asking to be provided with copies of the US$138 million agreement CHEC to design and build the terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.On the proposed Marriott Hotel project, Ramjattan has a string of questions. He is asking for Minister Benn to provide a copy of the agreement between the government and China Shanghai Construction Group for the construction of the hotel.Ramjattan has also asked for the Minister to provide a copy of agreements entered into with Atlantic Hotel Incorporated, the company that the government set up to enter into the agreement with the Marriott.   He also has asked for the Minister to say who are the shareholders of Atlantic Hotel Incorporated and for the Minister to provide documented evidence of this.In addition,Asmir Begovic Jersey, Ramjattan has questions about the management fee and to whom the payment would go for operating the projected US$52M hotel, and what rate of return taxpayers will get per annum.Ramjattan wants to know if any feasibility or any environmental impact studies were done prior to the agreement(s) being signed. If these were done, he has asked the Minister for a copy of each.Further,Munir El Haddadi Barcelona Jersey, in relation to the financing of the Marriott Hotel, Ramjattan has asked for the facts on the financing structure and arrangement of this project, namely, how much equity has been committed and by whom, how much will be borrowed from which bank,Jordan Hamilton Jersey, and whether  any (and how much) State funds have been spent and are committed.Ramjattan has also asked to know if there is any government guarantee to any financial institution or Chinese company.Other questions Ramjattan has related to the owners of the land on which the Marriott Hotel is to be built and for the Minister to provide the copy of transport or title or lease.