Introduction
The proposed US$51 million Marriott Hotel in Georgetown is one of the primary anchors of the economic policy stance of the PPP government. The Marriott, the airport terminal demolition and reconstruction (US$160 million), the One Laptop per Family Project (US$15 million), and Amaila hydroelectric plant (US$860 million) are all projects brought forward from the Jagdeo administration. The necessity, economic logic and optimal sequencing of all these projects can be questioned. In this column, I will examine the proposed investment in the Marriott Hotel, which is expected to be part financed by the government (US$13 million).
One of the first things to note is the equity investment by the Guyana government represents