…with selling Marriott
Your Eyewitness was surprised to hear the APNU/AFC coalition Government isn’t going to sell the Marriott right away. Obviously flushed and heady after raking in so much dough from the 85% occupancy rate it enjoyed during Jubilee 2016, the Chairman of the holding company AHI’s Board, Beverly Harper just announced they’ll be plunking more money into the facility – to finish off the “entertainment and casino” facility.
Why? To make it more attractive for buyers. But hey? What about all the hysteria the coalition raised when they were in the Opposition about Brassington splurging Government funds – US million – on a hotel, when there were so many other more worthwhile projects to be funded? Isn’t spending another US million on a …gasp!…casino, even more disreputable?
Remember all the objections made when the “Sleep In” fella wanted to build his casino on Church St? And don’t, Dear Reader, invoke “Churches in the vicinity”…God is here, there and everywhere. And furthermore, your Eyewitness can attest to the fact he can see St George’s VERY clearly from the sixth floor window of the Marriott!
But there’s actually absolutely no need for Beverly to sweeten the deal to bring Marriott to market. Last year, just before the PPP lost office, Robert Badal, one of the Chief Financiers of the AFC, and owner of the Pegasus, made an unequivocal offer to purchase the hotel. He matched the investment to take over the 67 per cent equity in the hotel that had been offered to a group of Hong Kong investors. He pointed out he had experience with hotels.
Mr Badal declared: “The fact is that now that the Hotel is completed with funds which sources are yet to disclose, approved and audited, my offer is firm. Send the agreement to my attorney for review and uplift your USM cheque. Deal done.” The said attorney had been identified as no other than leader of the AFC – and now Vice President of the country – Khemraj Ramjattan.
AFC’s Vice Chairman – and now Prime Minister – Moses Nagamootoo was livid, Badal’s offer was rejected. Said he, “In this game, money is the order of the day. If I am ugly, or regardless of my status, the beauty is in the money.” Present Minister of Infrastructure David Patterson also weighed in huffily, “Some investors are more equal than others.”
This Eyewitness says APNU/AFC should forthwith cease the PPP’s blanking of Badal from taking over the Marriott. With Guyana Stockfeeds, the man has shown he has a way with (manipulating?) stocks.
Let him buy the Marriott’s 67%!!
…with Parking?
Confounding all those who thought she’d be chastened, Mayor Pat Chase Green returned from Mexico crooning even more seductively than Marvin Gaye – “let’s get it on, with them parking meters!” Seemed she whipped out the contract to Minister Bulkan and he was immediately struck – like Saul on his way to Damascus – as he saw the light (glitter of big bucks?) on the case for meters.
So what if the issues of transparency and high-handedness remained like the proverbial manatee in the room? So what the Councillors must line up at her office door to get a peek of the aforementioned contract – even though it’s been signed in their name? But there are some more mundane questions that your Eyewitness hopes she’ll deign to answer.
Like who’ll pay the 100 persons who’ll presumably monitor the meters… (parking maids?). Or for towing deadbeat packers? Or for impounding the vehicles?
Let’s hope it isn’t deducted from Patricia’s 20%.
…with equal opportunity priests
With the announcement our Anglican Church MAY permit female priests, those waiting for so long can croon Sam Cook’s “A change is gonna come”:
“I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep tellin’ me don’t hang around
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will”
