APNU+AFC Media Release
For immediate release
Georgetown, Guyana, February 13, 2022:
The Alliance for Change (AFC) says it is unperturbed by the frightened and hurried response of the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) regime to a statement of facts issued by our General Secretary and former Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson on the government’s ineptitude on the Demerara Harbour Bridge project.
Based on our research and information, it does not matter the angle or explanation to the cancellation of the bid process at this ninth hour. It is reeking of suspicion, maladministration and corruption, a feature of the previous PPP regime. Unfortunately, the excuses proffered by the PPP regime to whitewash their sagging image do not answer the fundamental question. Why was the contract award process aborted only after a foreign journalist raised questions of transparency and integrity directly with Bharrat Jagdeo regarding his association and the benefit derived from the awarding of contracts?
The Government must tell the people of Guyana the real reason behind the withdrawal of the contract and what due diligence was undertaken before the said contract was We are confident that no amount of name-calling and diversionary antics will change the fact that the PPP administration’s handling of the Demerara Bridge project stinks to high heavens. The AFC will continue to reveal the facts about these contracts, including the lies and corruption whenever and wherever they are present. The people of Guyana deserve full benefit from the country’s resources which for many years have been concentrated in the hands of a few.
The nation will recall that in 2014, the Cabinet of the then PPP administration cancelled a contract abruptly for the construction of the East Coast Highway, which was later awarded to another Chinese company – China Harbour Engineering Corp (CHEC), which left many to wonder whether any due diligence and investigation was completed in that process.
It is clear, the PPP has resorted to a campaign of false and misleading information in the public domain and malicious personal attacks on individuals within the AFC to cover up their incompetence and scandalous behaviour. However, it was expected and is of no effect on our resolve to hold the PPP regime accountable to the Guyanese people.
END