GOVERNMENT is of the view that the use of a private jet to transport Minister of State Joseph Harmon during his visit to China recently did not result in a conflict of interest.
Harmon met with four Chinese companies that have expressed an interest in investing in Guyana. A private jet was used to transport the minister and other Guyanese present on the trip to the four different provinces where the meetings were being held.
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, in responding to questions posed by media personnel on use of the private aircraft to be transported to meetings in China, said, “It could lead to a conflict, but in and of itself it is not a conflict of interest. The travel was used to influence negotiations, but we have no evidence to show that it influenced a decision.”
Asked to state the extent of his comfort in Minister Harmon travelling on a jet that was provided or facilitated by the investors, Trotman said, “Let us be real, of course, they say pictures tell a thousand words…but it is not uncommon in Guyana (etc.)…for private jets to be used … there are levels of comfort and levels of discomfort and I think the picture by itself is a very uncomfortable one to look at.”
He made the point that it is not uncommon in modern travel for officials to use private jets. “Much depends on the circumstances and I accept Minister Harmon’s explanation that given the time available and given the distance he was required to travel, that the private jet in those circumstances was the best way.”
Trotman noted that government has to be cautious about being perceived as anti-Chinese and noted the utterings of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on the issue.
“The government has been beaten over their heads repeatedly by Ms Gail Teixeira and others about what we are doing to Chinese, so I thought Mr. Harmon believed he was trying to keep an image of good relations so to speak,” he said.
Trotman said he believes that in hindsight the Minister of State would rue the day he made the decision to travel on the jet.
“…it seemed a convenient mode of transportation,” he added, noting that he is sure Harmon regrets his actions that would have resulted in a public outcry on his trip to China.
The Natural Resources and the Environment Minister said he is convinced and satisfied that “no wrong was intended” by the Minister of State. He however noted that based on the series of events that transpired as a result of Harmon’s travel via the jet, he is certain that Harmon and other government ministers would prefer “not to avail themselves” if same is offered in the future.
Harmon in his own defence said that he was invited by the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Limin to meet with investors for four companies that had an interest in investing in Guyana. The companies were located in four different provinces, namely, Shanghai, Hebei, Beijing and Heilong Jiang Provinces.
Harmon also met with representatives of Long Jiang Forest Industries Group, a state-owned company that has acquired 55 per cent shares in Bai Shan Lin. That company intends to completely take over Bai Shan Lin sometime this year.
Meanwhile, asked why government continues to engage Bai Shan Lin, given the number of breaches found against the logging company, Trotman said, the specific engagement had to do with acquiring a new buyer to take over Bai Shan Lin.
“Engagement to take over and engagement to continue with are two different things … your connotation is that the government continues to have them do what they want…that is not what is happening,” The Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment assured.
He explained that it is inevitable in any transition that there would be interactions with the company. “We are at the point where we can have a new entity that can breathe a new life that can say we are committed to building the factory we committed to.”
Trotman made it clear that his ministry will exercise due diligence on any company that expresses an interest in investing in his sector. “Any investor coming into the forestry or natural resources sector will be scrutinised diligently,” he said, while noting that his ministry is in the process of identifying preferably foreign firms to carry out the due diligence test for the ministry.
Asked why he as the subject minister, the Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, a representative of the Guyana Office for Investment or the Minister of Finance were not present on the trip to China, Trotman made it clear that Cabinet had approved Harmon’s trip to China to address the outstanding US$5M owed to the NICIL by a Chinese company that bought government’s 20 per cent shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).
“It does appear and that is not uncommon that other matters came up on the trip…It is not uncommon, not because it is China to have other interests raised on an official visit…It is not uncommon, neither is it illegal for a minister to entertain other requests while on an official trip for other matters,” said Trotman.
