In 2014, Cabinet appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana National Industrial Company Inc. as chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). I had congratulated him on his appointment and offered to provide any advice on financial matters that he might wish to seek of me. Although Mr. Williams acknowledged that he would need such advice from time to 
time, regrettably, he never saw it fit to do so. Then there was the $3 billion loan fiasco involving the GGMC and the Ministry of Housing, which was the subject of two separate articles from me. Having carefully examined the GGMC Act, I had concluded that it was not within the authority of the Commission to grant such a loan since the Act only permits such an action in the furtherance of mining activities, the core mandate of the GGMC. In the light of the public furore on the matter, the GGMC sought a legal opinion which opinion was consistent with my conclusion. The Court has also pronounced in a similar vein.
In recent days, allegations of extravagance in relation to entertainment expenses and of impropriety in the granting of mining permits have been levelled against the Chairman. Today, we examine these allegations, the response from the GGMC and my own thoughts on these two matters.
Remuneration for members of the