Release of project documents should put to rest all the inaccuracies and misinformation in the public domain

Dear Editor,
Now that the government has released details of several major contracts, which had become talking points in the media and had been criticised by certain members of the opposition, it is hoped that all the inaccuracies which are being peddled by sections of the media will cease.
Some politicians and media operatives find everything under the sun to criticise and they go to any lengths to paint a negative picture about what is taking place in the country. This is bad for Guyana and does not help in the developmental efforts of the government and other organisations that want to see the country move forward.
The issue at hand has to do with openness and transparency in running the affairs of the state, especially when it comes to spending money. Certainly, and in all fairness, governments must always be open with what they are doing with the people’s money. There should be no excuse for not being accountable. But we should note that governments are also business partners, and some level of common sense must prevail in doing business.
In every field of business, there is some level of confidentiality and there has to be mutual agreement between parties involved as to when to release sensitive information about agreements/ deals etc.
Once such dealings are done within the confines of the law, this is quite acceptable, and certainly at a later stage, the public must be told what the details of the transactions are. In this case, were the government (of Guyana) to have released the details of the various projects, then it would have been considered to be a breach of agreement.
Investors want to do business with serious partners. And for this reason, the government has to find a balance with the level of confidentiality that is demanded by business partners and the people’s right to know. That aside, the contracts that were made available are the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, the Marriott Hotel and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project. All of these projects will see Guyana gaining tremendous benefits. At the end of the day, the people are the ones to benefit from such undertakings.
Yours sincerely
Mike C Singh
Dear Editor,Now that the government has released details of several major contracts, which had become talking points in the media and had been criticised by certain members of the opposition, it is hoped that all the inaccuracies which are being peddled by sections of the media will cease. Some politicians and media operatives find everything under the sun to criticise and they go to any lengths to paint a negative picture about what is taking place in the country. This is bad for Guyana and does not help in the developmental efforts of the government and other organisations that want to see the country move forward. The issue at hand has to do with openness and transparency in running the affairs of the state, especially when it comes to spending money. Certainly, and in all fairness, governments must always be open with what they are doing with the people’s money. There should be no excuse for not being accountable. But we should note that governments are also business partners, and some level of common sense must prevail in doing business. In every field of business, there is some level of confidentiality and there has to be mutual agreement between parties involved as to when to release sensitive information about agreements/ deals etc. Once such dealings are done within the confines of the law, this is quite acceptable, and certainly at a later stage, the public must be told what the details of the transactions are. In this case, were the government (of Guyana) to have released the details of the various projects, then it would have been considered to be a breach of agreement. Investors want to do business with serious partners. And for this reason, the government has to find a balance with the level of confidentiality that is demanded by business partners and the people’s right to know. That aside, the contracts that were made available are the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, the Marriott Hotel and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project. All of these projects will see Guyana gaining tremendous benefits. At the end of the day, the people are the ones to benefit from such undertakings.Yours sincerely Mike C Singh