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Reply to "Corruption again in the AFC"

Peeping Tom: Politics has many faces. During the past week, the Guyanese people saw what many of them believed to be the business side of politics, and they did not like the image they saw.
Many believed that it was because of financial interests that the AFC made what they perceived as an about turn in relation to the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project by joining with the PPPC to pass Bills which were said to be critical to the undertaking moving forward.

 

 


Many opposition supporters were left distraught after learning that the AFC had broken ranks with APNU and had joined the government in supporting the two Bills, one of which had to do with the country’s debt ceiling, and the other, with more regulatory matters.
The AFC’s position on the hydroelectric project was that it would follow the IDB. If the IDB green lighted the project, the AFC would support; if they did not, then the project would be a non-starter. This position shifted after the AFC met with the developers.  The AFC was pleased enough by the outcome of that meeting to decide to support the project, even though the IDB had not given its go-ahead for the project. What therefore caused the AFC to shift its position?
Many believe that this change was because of the business face of the AFC. They are wrong. What the AFC has done is what it is very adept at: outfoxing APNU. Just like during the problems at Linden one year ago, the AFC made its mischief, led APNU along on a leash, and then left it to shoulder the blame for the defeat of the project.
The AFC must have been told very clearly at the latest briefing it had with the developers that unless there was political consensus, the project would not go forward under the auspices of the developer.
The developer’s position was understandable. A project of this nature is subject to political risk, and the developer would have done its homework concerning the PNCR and would have known that this is not a party to be trusted. As such, the support of APNU, of which the PNCR is the main partner, would have been absolutely necessary for this project to go forward. The developer knew that because of the new configuration in parliament, without APNU on board, the political risk would be too great to shoulder.
There is, of course, political risk insurance, but when you have a situation such as we have, it is hard for venture capitalists to put their money into a project of this nature when we are dealing with a two-part opposition. The first part has a history of nationalization when it was in power; the second has called for the nationalization of the Berbice River Bridge as part of its plug for reduced tariffs for crossing the Bridge.
The developer would have observed the conduct of the opposition since it attained a one-seat majority and therefore knows that one cannot take any chances with the opposition. As such, the position of the developer was clear, it is all or nothing. Either every parliamentary party comes on board or this project will not go forward.
The AFC knew that APNU would not support the project. It (APNU) will never support the PPPC bringing hydroelectricity to Guyana. It sees politics as a zero sum game. As such, if the PPP builds the hydro, the PPP wins and it loses, because people will always remember that the PPP did what the PNC promised to do, but failed to deliver.
The AFC therefore knew that APNU would not support the Bills. It knew also that its constituents are drawn primarily from the middle class and this class is business-oriented and wants hydroelectricity.
So the AFC made its gambit. It sunk APNU.  Knowing very well that APNU would not support the project at this time and knowing well that there will be major fallout because of any vote that kills this project, the AFC played its trump card. It sided with the government and left APNU to take the blame for the fact that this project is now effectively dead.
APNU will not have to shoulder the blame for Guyana not having use of hydroelectricity. The AFC has slipped out of the noose. It sunk APNU and walked away looking like the good guy.

FM
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