The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) today accused Norway and the Inter-American Development Bank of a conspiracy over funding for the planned Amaila Falls Hydropower Project in light of arrangements for US$80M which would comprise Guyana’s equity despite a Parliamentary vote against the project on various grounds.
The WPA statement follows:
Conspiracy on Amaila Falls Hydroelectricity Project
The Working People’s Alliance calls on the Government of Guyana to heed the statement issued by the British High Commissioner to Guyana Mr. Andrew Ayre at a press conference held in Guyana. Mr. Ayre noted that member countries of the British Commonwealth are considering referring Guyana to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group over the November 10, 2014 suspension of the Parliament of Guyana which Mr. Ayre described as a clear breach of the Guyana Constitution and the Commonwealth Charter.
Noting that “Guyana could be subject to a critical review because of breaches of the Commonwealth Charter” Ayre called on the Ramotar Administration to resume Parliament without delay or lay out a timeline for the resumption of parliamentary democracy.
The National Assembly last met on July 10, 2014 raising serious questions as to whether Guyana can still call itself democratic. The Ramotar Administration has used the intervening six months to rule by decree, to spend extravagantly, unlawfully and unconstitutionally outside of any mechanism of transparency, accountability or good governance.
Even as the WPA welcomes the action by the British it wishes to place on record its dismay at the growing evidence that the Norwegian Government and the Inter-American Development Bank are colluding with the Government of Guyana to violate the Constitution of Guyana and to participate in the unlawful spending of public funds. The Constitution unambiguously requires that all moneys belonging to Guyana must be paid into the Consolidated Fund. This includes moneys receivable by Guyana under the five-year agreement between Guyana and Norway for Guyana to be paid to protect its forests.
The announcement that Norway recently asked the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to receive US$80 million as Guyana’s equity in the Amaila Falls Hydroelectricity Project is a flagrant violation of the Guyana Constitution and the arrangement between Norway, the IDB and no doubt Guyana amounts to a conspiracy.
Both the IDB and the Government of Norway must be aware that the President of Guyana has suspended the National Assembly which in any case which in any case had voted against the Amaila Falls Hydroelectricity Project on hydrological, economic and financial grounds. Until and unless the National Assembly revisits and supports that vote, the government cannot legally undertake the Project.
Both the IDB and the Government of Norway must be aware that the Government of Guyana is utilizing the prorogation period to engage in shameless electioneering. The IDB and the Government of Norway must be courageous enough not to be bullied into participating in this illegality.
Both the IDB and the Government of Norway must be aware of their own commitments and the reservations in relation to the Amaila Falls Hydroelectricity Project and that a full ecological and independent economic study is still to be carried out. They must be aware that such considerations must never be sacrificed for cheap domestic and electoral politics.
The WPA, and indeed the world, has admired Norway’s transparency traditions which make our disappointment gravely acute. We are therefore considering action to bring this violation to the attention of stakeholders of that country and to the global NGO Green movement which appears unaware of this impropriety.
The Working People’s Alliance calls on the IDB to return the funds to Norway which in turn must not release any monies to the Government of Guyana until the National Assembly is reconvened, either by recalling Parliament or following the holding of elections.
The Working People’s Alliance also calls on the Governments of China and India and the European Commission to desist from any pre-electoral deals with the Ramotar Administration which has no legitimacy to enter into any contracts on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana.
