Dear Editor
I write to offer a warm welcome back to my parliamentary colleague, Mr. David Patterson; the public infrastructure man seems to have been hibernating in a back room. Patterson has returned to the pages of our nation’s newspapers in his inimitable splashy style. Mr. Patterson announced a 188 Megawatt natural gas plant would be built by the government, no cost or feasibility study was referenced, it would seem with no parliamentary oversight in place, anything can be said or promised during the election season. Patterson was accompanied by Larry London (of D’urban Park fame) when he turned the sod for the construction of a new Civil Aviation Authority Headquarters; despite no source of financing yet identified for this impressive-sounding building. The Patterson Style!

While Mr. Patterson is in ‘announcement’ mode, the people of Guyana would have been pleased if he could have explained how US$9000 from the Chinese Consortium appeared in his personal bank account and if he could have produced evidence of transfer of the said US$9000 to MARAD. The people await announcements that the Auditor General has found the $600 Million missing from the D’urban Park project; A completion date for the CJIA extension project; an explanation of how the CJIA cost the Taxpayers, millions of US Dollars more for a smaller airport than originally paid for by way of ‘fixed price’ contract; he would have come clean on how the harbor bridge feasibility study has cost 10’s of million more than approved by Cabinet and which has now been referred by the Public Procurement Commission to the Auditor general for forensic investigation.

Patterson has taken every other opportunity for ‘announcements’, a ‘Skype call’ from a Virgin-Atlantic Airlines executive was parlayed into ‘Virgin coming’. Mr. Patterson fears no embarrassment, taking to social media to claim credit for the expected increase in rice production; the fact is the rice farmers have demonstrated great resilience and tenacity resulting in an upswing in production despite adverse budget measures of the APNU/AFC, that include application of 14 per cent vat on machinery, sending up cost of acquisition; increase of land and water charges; the lack of assistance with drainage and irrigation; the removal of fertiliser subsidies and the virtual neglect of farm-to-market access roads.
The mango season is upon us and we can expect more glib statements and empty promises from Mr. Patterson and his colleagues. The people of Guyana have seen this play before; Mr. Patterson’s promises’ did not end well the first time, maybe he should have done a feasibility study before returning to the limelight.

Regards
Bishop Juan A. Edghill
PPP/C MP