No major disagreements on Beal pact - Luncheon By Gitanjali Singh Stabroek News March 11, 2000 Cabinet's approval of a deal with Beal Aerospace Technologies to set up a satellite spaceport in Guyana is expected on Tuesday with the inking of the deal before the end of the month. Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon yesterday confirmed that certain members of Cabinet were questioning whether the government was getting the best possible deal out of the proposed agreement, but he insisted that these were not so major as to hold up the signing of a deal. Stabroek News was told that there was division in Cabinet on aspects of the deal, which had caused a delay in the signing, anticipated by Beal for March 7. Chief government negotiator, Edgar Heyligar, had told this newspaper that March 7, was not a realistic date for signing, but that closure would be before March 15. However, Heyligar more recently said he was awaiting a Cabinet mandate to execute. Luncheon said yesterday that a decision had not been taken as yet. "I know Cabinet has been invited by the President to have the matter concluded as quickly as possible," Luncheon said. When it was put to him that perhaps President Bharrat Jagdeo did not have the clout required in Cabinet, for the deal to go through without unanimous support, Luncheon said this should be put to him (Luncheon) after Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. Luncheon said he was not aware of any big differences at Cabinet level. "...People want certain aspects of the negotiating team position clarified and looked at... in specific areas they want answers," Luncheon said. Asked whether it was the sale of land or the financial returns from the investment that was of concern to the Cabinet members, Luncheon said that the questions being asked were whether the government was satisfied that it was getting the best deal possible. "The best deal is essentially ... what you are giving and what you are getting..." Luncheon said. He said that a deal would be signed when Cabinet so decided and it was his and other government officials' hope that this would be before the end of the month. Prime Minister Sam Hinds shared the same view. "I do not see any major difficulties because most of Cabinet [members] sentiment is pro[-deal]," Luncheon asserted. There is some amount of concern in the private sector that any unnecessary delay in signing may cause Guyana to lose the deal, given that other countries are also vying for this investment. And Beal in a press statement recently expressed frustration at its inability to secure a launch site for its satellite operations. Beal is proposing to construct a spaceport in the Waini area which will secure 500 short-term and 200 long-term jobs for Guyanese.