PROMINENT lawyer Nigel Hughes yesterday tendered his resignation as Chairman of the Alliance for Change (AFC), following media reports that indicated he is the Company Secretary of the entity that will operate the Amaila Falls Hydropower station.

Government has long been pressing the Opposition to support pieces of legislation that could see the fruition of the project; but the Opposition so far has been dilatory in passing the necessary legislation, amidst heated parliamentary and public controversy over the project.
In a press statement yesterday, Hughes said the incorporation of Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. and his appointment as secretary has been a matter of public record since the incorporation of the company in April 2009.
“I welcome and support the publication of this fact and as I do… any other matter pertinent to the issues surrounding the Amaila Falls debate,” Hughes stated.
When the issue of Amaila became a matter of public interest, he recalled that he “immediately” disclosed his interest to the leadership of the AFC. “I also asked to be recused from participating in their deliberations on the matter.”
“The provision of this public information by a prominent chartered accountant to the Kaieteur News at this time could only have been for the purpose of explicitly or implied suggesting that I have been advancing the cause of my clients in the deliberations by the AFC on the Amaila issue.
“I completely without reservation reject this contention. I have at all times acted professionally and disclosed to the party my relationship with the client as the client has been aware of my position in the party.
“As a result of this clear attempt to tarnish the name of the AFC and its publicly stated positions on the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, I have today (yesterday) offered my resignation as Chairman to the Alliance for Change,” Hughes said in the release.