THOUGH the total debt on the controversial D’Urban Park Development Project (DPDP) is approximately $798M, the Government of Guyana has made it clear that its allocation of $500M will have to be sufficient to offset the expenses.Finance Minister Winston Jordan told reporters on Monday during a press conference at his Main Street, Georgetown Office, that the APNU+AFC administration can only “accommodate $500M as a full and final settlement”.

He made it clear that Homestretch Development Inc (HDI), the building company would have to make some apportioning relative to the debts owed.

“This is a take it or leave it situation,” declared Jordan, adding that “So if you were owed $2M by HDI… and it works out that you can only get $1.2, then you could either accept the $1.2 as final settlement or sue HDI.”

The Finance Minister said those owed have options and noted that the court is the best option for recourse.

“… so you don’t have to take the money, you could sue HDI for the amount owed by HDI.”

Asked whether he believes the $500M is enough given the outstanding amounts, the Finance Minister said, “It has to be enough as a full and final settlement, you have a choice, you can refuse and go to court and sue HDI or you can accept it as the full and final settlement.”

Last week, during the Consideration of Estimates of Expenditure for Budget 2017, People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill called on Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson to provide details on the $500M allocation.

Patterson told the Committee of Supply that the $500M allocation was earmarked for the off-setting of debt to DPDP and HDI.

He said too that HDI submitted an audited report which indicated that some $60M was donated for the beginning of the project.

Meanwhile, Edghill in November by way of a parliamentary motion had called on the Government to release the names of the financiers of D’Urban Park, the cost of the project and the private organisers who were involved in the project from its birth to April 2016, when Minister Patterson managed the project.

The minister had said that the first phase of the project was funded by HDI however; it was revealed that HDI was incorporated in January 2016, some months after the project started.

It was during that debate of the motion, that the Minister of Public Infrastructure disclosed the directors of the company but failed to mention Education Minister,

Dr Rupert Roopnarine
Dr Roopnaraine sits as a Director on the company’s board; a post he was asked to take up by President David Granger. The DPDP through HDI was tasked with preparing D’Urban Park for the country’s 50th Independence celebrations held in May.

The D’Urban Park Project was authorised by Cabinet and works began in the last quarter of 2015. At that time, there was no budget and the team of persons working on the project was tasked with getting the site ready for the celebrations.

“This meant relying on donations. It was no small task. Works were conducted in the full view of the population. Trees were cut down, sand and loam delivered to the site, bridges, drains and stands were constructed,” said Dr Roopnarine during his explanation of his involvement in the project to the National Assembly.

Dr Roopnarine has also denied any wrongdoings.