The Guyana Government today denied that its Memorandum of Understanding with the ANSA McAl group for a biofuel project was a “secret” deal.
It was responding to a report in Friday’s edition of the Kaieteur News.
The statement said in part “The Government of Guyana has recognized the importance of energy security and took the initiative of hosting the Caribbean’s first forum on expanding Bio Energy Opportunities in the Caribbean of August 2007. This forum resulted in the Inter American Development Bank partnering with the GoG through a technical cooperation to expand Bio Energy Opportunities in Guyana.
“In July 2010, the GoG through public tendering awarded a contract to NUMARK Associates Inc. of the United States for the Service Consultancy to expand Bio Energy Opportunities in Guyana. As part of the Terms of Reference, NUMARK was tasked with compiling a list of potential Bio Energy Investors who may be interested in investing in Guyana.
“Based on the NUMARK’s report and the proposals received from investors, ANSA McAl was selected after their proposal was scrutinized by technical experts in the field of Bio Energy, which was subsequently approved and signed on September 30, 2011 and witnessed by representatives of the Government and ANSA McAL.
“To suggest this was a secret deal is not only misleading but a gross misrepresentation of the reality and part of the continued campaign to cast aspersions on the PPP/C Government.”
The statement did not explain why the deal was signed without any publicity in Georgetown or why the details were not made available in Georgetown. It appears from what has been released thus far that the project requires a feasibility study first.
