JUST over a year ago, the political Opposition and its mouthpieces, the Kaieteur News, Christopher Ram and Mr. Anand  Goolsarran just to name  a few, were expounding to the public about conflict of interest. Their targets were Geetangali Singh, wife of the Hon. Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Mr. Jonathan Brassington, brother of Winston Brassington, head of the Privatisation Unit.

Ms. Singh was confirmed as Deputy Auditor General, by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee in a position she has acted in for several  years. Ms. Singh has been working at the Auditor General’s office long before her husband, Dr. Ashni Singh, was appointed Minister of Finance and maybe even before they were married. She successfully moved up the ladder and the issue of conflict of interest was never a concern to any member of the very committee that confirmed her appointment as Deputy Auditor General.
Mr. Jonathan Brassington, brother of Mr. Winston Brassington, legitimately and in strict confirmation with all applicable laws and regulations, purchased shares in a company privatised by the government. Yet Mr. Winston Brassington was accused by the Opposition’s mouth pieces of conflict of interest.
Fast forward to August 2013 and a most prominent Opposition leader is forced into disclosing his association, both financial and professional, with the company contracted by the Government of Guyana to execute the most important of projects for the survival and development of Guyana. A project strongly opposed by the entire political opposition camp. That’s correct, Mr. Nigel Hughes, Chairman of the AFC was forced into disclosing that he is and has been the company secretary of Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc (AFH Inc) since 2009.  Mr. Hughes is therefore, company secretary to the company contracted to execute the Amaila Hydro Project, Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc., a project that his party has been fighting tooth and nail against.  Imagine, Mr. Hughes,  who is supposed to act in the best interest of Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc is chairman of a major political party that is not only opposed to the project, but has effectively accused its main financer, Sithe Global, of ripping off Guyana and its citizens by way of over-pricing.
What is even worse, is that even the leader of the AFC, Mr. Kkhemraj Ramjattan, publicly admitted that he had no knowledge of Mr. Hughes’s association with Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc.
In a bid for damage control and a public relation stunt, Mr. Hughes offered his resignation as Chairman of the AFC. The AFC is reported to have rejected his resignation. Interestingly enough, a few days later, Sithe Global reported that it is pulling out of the Amaila project. In-fact, it boggles my mind as to why Mr. Ramjattan would not accept the resignation of his main rival for leadership of the AFC, or is he not in control?
In similar vein, Mrs. Cathy Hughes, wife of Mr. Nigel Hughes and AFC Member of Parliament, was the Public Relations Consultant for Sithe Global and Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc. This information was made public by the Attorney General.
There are, therefore, lingering questions to be answered by the Hugheses and for that matter the entire leadership of the AFC. Why did the AFC reject Mr. Hughes’s resignation? After all, Hughes as Company Secretary of Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc. and his wife as Public Relations Consultant must have been pretty sure that Sithe Global will pull out of the project if there is no parliamentary consensus. The AFC certainly knew that there would be no consensus since APNU made its position clear. Did his colleagues in the leadership of the AFC know this when they rejected his resignation as party chairman?
Do we need better examples of conflict of interest?