Govt embroiled in web of deception – Opposition

Government is twisting deeper into the tangled web of deception it has weaved surrounding the D’Urban Park scandal. Now that damning revelations are coming to the fore, the public is demanding now more than ever, answers to pertinent questions relating to the controversial Jubilee Project which has been shrouded in a mass of secrecy and confusion since its inception.

Opposition Members of Parliament Dharamkumar Seeraj, Joseph Hamilton and Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, hosted a press conference on Saturday morning in response to what they described as President David Granger’s “worrying defence” of the D’Urban Park Project and to emphasise once again how these unfolding events are extremely disconcerting.
Moreover, the parliamentarians expressed grave concern over Government’s bold posture in refusing to be answerable to the public and tossing the media around like a football when pressed for explanations and clarifications on this guarded Government initiative.
In September 2015, substantial works commenced on the huge plot of land behind Durban Backlands for the development of what was pegged as a state-of-the-art recreational arena, which would be used for the country’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations.
Government, whenever grilled for information regarding funding for this initiative, opined that donations from public-spirited citizens were being pumped into the project.
It is now made public that a private company, Homestretch Development Inc –established in January 2016 – expeditiously solicited donations from private individuals for the development of Jubilee Park.
President Granger’s defence was that, “When we went into office, budgetary provisions were not made for the construction of that stadium in time for independence celebrations in May 2016 and it was felt prudent to establish a special purpose company… when we realised that we had to engage in contracts and agreements with construction firms to build the stands and everything else that was involved in the stadium and as soon as we could, we terminated the work of that company and (transferred the project to) the Ministry of Public Infrastructure with the sole responsibility to complete the Project.”
However, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition questioned which entity was collecting monies and spearheading the development of the Jubilee Park prior to the formation of the company in January, since Government claimed it did not invest a single cent into the initiative.
Additionally, Teixeira inquired why in all the supplementary papers brought to Parliament in 2015, Government did not request provisions for the works on the Durban Park project or why it was not budgeted in the early 2016 National Budget.
Teixeira also contended and demanded answers regarding why this “special purpose” company is still in existence if its works are completed – noting that in the first place, there are no provisions in Guyana’s laws for a special purpose company.
Teixeira highlighted too that when the project was initially handed over to the Public Infrastructure Ministry in April, Government claimed it was owing to “shabby” works and not because a private company had completed its tasks.
Furthermore, she said the public was only now made aware of the establishment of a private company and if there was nothing secretive about the entire undertaking, why was this information not made available earlier.
She also asserted that if the private company received monies to invest into a government project, then these funds should be accounted for and made available to the public since the undertaking is a government initiative.

In addition, Teixeira said she refused to believe that Government, marketing Durban Park as its flagship project, did not invest a single dollar into its own legacy.

She also argued that the mannerism in which the Government officials consistently dodged questions on the matter reflects of the secretive and controversial nature of the project.
Also, the fact that Government blatantly refused to disclose that Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine is a Director of the company, supports the assertion that the project reeks of some sort of corruption.
In this regard, Teixeira questioned how did Minister Roopnaraine and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) crony Larry London become Directors of the company, ultimately benefiting from some of the funds collected.
The PPP/C had previously questioned too whether this private company, as all private companies are required, will be paying its tax to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) or whether for some special reason, it was exempted from doing so.
Teixeira demanded that Government in the interest of accountability and transparency, untangle itself from this spinning web and come clean by giving full disclosure on the project.
She strongly believes that the public has only stumbled upon the tip of the iceberg in this controversy and that more shocking discoveries will soon be made in relation to this latest scandal of the APNU/AFC coalition Government.