I signed no airport expansion deal; tell us who’s corrupt — Minister Benn

by in News

Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, has denied signing any deal with China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC).
“I did not sign any deal,’ bellowed Benn, who as at the time engaged in a ‘Corruption Discourse’ surrounding the US$138M airport expansion project.
He says that it was the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, along with the China Harbour representatives that inked the deal.
Benn further challenged the political opposition to identify a “single official” that would have been engaged in corrupt practices on the project.
He challenged the Opposition to identify a single Govt. Official that would have benefited from corrupt transactions.
Gerhard Ramsaroop the lone political opposition representative to the discourse reminded that even former President Bharrat Jagdeo had called for a review of the contract.
Ramsaroop is an Executive Member of the Alliance for Change (AFC) and attempted to raise the matter of NICIL during the discourse.
NICIL is the Guyana Government’s “National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited” whose Chairman is Dr Ashni Singh and plays an integral role in several of the larger projects undertaken by the administration.
Dr Singh also serves as the country’s Finance Minister, which Ramsaroop says constitutes a conflict of interest.
NICIL Chairman reports to the Finance Minister and it is the Finance Minister tasked with taking corrective action against the NICIL Chairman should the need arise.
Dr Singh holds both hats on this occasion and this ‘conflict’ has been one of the recent imbroglios being raised by the political opposition.
“Who is corrupt, who got the money,” challenged Benn however as he also invited suggestions on what to do with any such culpable persons/officials.
The Public Works Minister is adamant that the ‘sole sourcing’ procurement process which the opposition has been clamoring to castigate on this occasion ‘is catered for’ under the Laws of Guyana.
He reminded also that at the time’ the “option” to sign on with CHEC, and take the Chinese Exim Bank Loan at 2.5 per cent “was the best option.”
He suggested that commercial repayment rates for such a loan could run as high as 12 per cent.
Ramsaroop however maintains that projects of such a magnitude must be heavily scrutinize for susceptibility to corruption, given the track record of the ruling administration.