Has Wartsila management company been nationalised?

Dear Editor,
One of the dailies today (Sunday) suggested that Power Producers and Distribution Inc (PPDI) is a State-owned entity. PS Balram is on the board. Has Government nationalised the Wartsila entity by replacing them with a State-owned entity?
Here are a few questions:
* Whose decision was it to nationalise Wartsila (Guyana)?
* What was the role of Cabinet, the Public Infrastructure Ministry, the GPL Board, the management, and the Public Utilities Commission?
* What contracts have been signed with the PPDI and GPL? How do these compare to the Wartsila O&M contracts?
* Was a feasibility study done?
* Has there been a public communication of the decision and the rationale?
Just a few years ago, Wartsila celebrated 20 years in Guyana. They spoke of Guyana having the oldest O&M contract with Wartsila in the world. Wartsila had a vested interest in ensuring the performance of its engines continued to do well. This was the oldest O&M arrangement that Wartsila had in the world. Wartsila could boast that engine availability over its history in Guyana exceeded 90 per cent. Quite good when one considers that 44MW of the Wartsila engines commissioned by President Cheddi Jagan, is now over 20 years old. Most companies would have written-off the engines in this period. Yet Wartsila’s performance continues to be almost like a new engine. Someone should do a case-study and document the history of Wartsila in Guyana.
Under an O&M contract with Wartsila, considerable benefits in the form of price discounts on parts, guarantees for engine availability and overall efficiencies, and the benefit of a corporate Wartsila systems and structures, all were in place. Indeed the local employees were an asset and did well. But as bauxite and sugar has shown, skills alone do not suggest success under local management or under nationalisation.
So if Wartsila (Guyana) has been nationalised by Government, Minister Patterson should provide a full explanation to the nation. Does this mean that GPL’s management will direct and appoint the Board of PPDI? GPL does not seem to be aware of the details of the arrangement. But all of the power generators are owned by GPL. One has to wish the new company well but question the wisdom of terminating the oldest O&M contract that Wartsila had in the world.

Sincerely,
Michael Semple