Jackson neither in favour nor against Beal deal
Former foreign minister, Rashleigh Jackson, says he supports foreign investment in Guyana under the right conditions and hopes that a deal can be struck with Beal Aerospace Technologies which is respectful of the rights and interests of the Guyanese people. Clarifying his position on the proposed spaceport project which the government is negotiating with Beal, a US-based firm, Jackson said that he was "neither in favour nor against the deal," and therefore denied the recent Guyana Chronicle report that he backs the deal. Jackson said his position is that the government should heed public voices on the issue of the sale of land to Beal. He noted that colonial power Britain had leased land of then British Guiana to the US government to establish a naval base at Makouria and an air base at what is now Timehri. The government last week held a public forum at the Ocean View International Hotel & Convention Centre on the proposed spaceport project at which Jackson made a presentation. However, he wrote the Chronicle on the report it carried on the forum headlined "Rashleigh Jackson backs Beal deal" stating that it was misleading. Jackson, in the letter, outlined what he basically said at the forum and pointed out to the Chronicle that the report in the Stabroek News on that meeting captioned "land sale heavily criticised at Beal's information forum" captured "accurately the nature and tenor of the public expressions" and was to the point. Jackson also noted in his letter to the Chronicle that he had made reference to the "fact that Beal has to secure the approval of the United States State Department to utilize the technology it required to operate the spaceport in Guyana." He went on to enquire "whether in the event of an accident there was an obligation on the part of the U.S. government for any damage that might occur, having regard to the role it played in authorising the technology used."
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