Guyana Forum unhappy with Hinds' utterances on Beal --to seek meeting with Jagdeo By Gitanjali Singh Stabroek News December 10, 1999 The Guyana Forum, a grouping of several civic bodies, is to request an urgent meeting with President Bharrat Jagdeo to air concerns about the government's proposed deal with Beal Aerospace Technologies of Texas. Comprising Guyana Is First (GIF), the Amerindian People's Association, the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers, the Guyana Organisation of Indigenous People and the Guyana Human Rights Association, the group is opposed to the sale of land to the US company and is querying why a lease would not be enough. Representatives of the grouping met Prime Minister Sam Hinds last week Wednesday but were unhappy with the response they got to the questions they raised, and met at the Ariantze Hotel on Monday to decide on the way forward. The group will try to meet Beal officials, failing which it plans to write to owner of the company Andrew Beal himself for answers and may even go as far as mobilising international media to win support to block the signing of the deal if its concerns are not allayed. Hinds indicated at the meeting that a deal was likely to be signed before the end of the month, but the members are querying the haste and secrecy with which the government is proceeding with this investment, given its criticisms of past deals done in secrecy by the PNC regime. The Prime Minister, according to the Guyana Forum, was not in a position to answer questions and could not shed light on many of the issues raised, including the environmental monitoring arrangements. This is of concern to the group which is querying who will answer the questions still pending? And in a statement on Monday, the group denied Hinds's declaration in Parliament on the same day that the Forum was satisfied about the proposed investment after meeting him. Catherine Hughes, a GIF senior executive, said the meeting with Hinds was rather procedural and gave the impression that while Hinds was open to proposals from persons knowledgeable in rocket development, it was really something to keep the Guyana Forum at bay, while the government moved ahead with the arrangements it had with Beal Aerospace. The concerns ranged from the inability of the Prime Minister to identify a technical expert in the field of rocket and satellite technology who has been advising the government as well as his inability to pinpoint the exact spot for the investment. The grouping's concerns generally stem from a lack of information on the proposed deal and include: * Why the government has to sell 26,010 acres of land to Beal Aerospace and lease some 76,000 acres over 99 years as against a 49-year lease Beal was willing to accept on Sombrero Island? Hinds indicated to the group that this was for the company to acquire the political risk insurance it needed to operate in Guyana. * Should Beal Aerospace go public, what is there to prevent a foreign state (Venezuela considered at the meeting) from acquiring a majority shareholding? A knowledgeable government official said that this has been taken into consideration in the condition of sale. The official said that if the company offered shares, these would not cover land ownership. The official said that the government has the first right of repurchase of the land and if the company decides to sell out its operation, the government will have to approve of the buyer/investor. * What are the benefits to Guyana in infrastructure development, technology transfer, human resource development and in monetary terms from the hosting of this site? The government is to get a launching and administration fee from the project. * Given the government's criticisms of the previous government's lack of transparency, openness and lack of consultation, why is this deal shrouded in mystery? The government official said that the government got a mandate to govern on behalf of the people and at the appropriate time, chief negotiator, Edgar Heyligar will make the appropriate disclosures. A public forum on the issue is planned by December 15 to address concerns. * Why the haste to complete the deal? The official denied that there is any haste to complete the deal. The official also stated that even after the agreements were signed, their consummation would be subject to the Environmental Impact Assessment approval, the US State Department's approval and the securing of political risk insurance by the company. The refusal of any would mean that there is no deal. * What happens if inhabitants in the proposed buffer area refuse to relocate? And will the GDF be excluded from the initial five-mile radius in the satellite operation which will be secured by Beal security personnel? The official said it will be no more than ten persons who will be here as Beal security officials, and mentioned the issue of security for the US embassy in Guyana. In the proposed transaction with the Anguillan administration for a satellite space port on Sombrero Island, Beal was going to accept a 49-year renewable lease agreement, pay local tax and custom duties on imports and a natural resources management plan was to be introduced to mitigate adverse effects on the environment. The Guyana Forum reported that Beal Aerospace Technologies is a financially "very strong company of good standing" according to Dunn and Bradstreet, financial analysts. Hinds on Wednesday met officials of the PNC for talks on the Beal deal. The PNC officials said after the meeting that they were still not satisified since sufficient details were not provided. Hinds told Stabroek News after the Wednesday meeting that "I don't think we could have had a more specific discussion as the government reserves the right to retain disclosures and to release the documents when the project is totally consummated". A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples