“Fedders Lloyd all over again” – Jagdeo criticizes decision to engage Hope Beach Wind Farm

Last Updated on Tuesday, 2 February 2016, 17:31 by Denis Chabrol

Government’s decision to begin talks with the owners of the Hope Beach Wind Farm on the possibility of buying power is “incestuous” and should be reviewed, says Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Jagdeo at a press conference on Tuesday said that it was “Fedders Lloyd all over again” since the owners of the farm are close friends of the government.

Jagdeo criticized the government for not going to a public tender process as should have been done before the decision was taken to engage the company.
“I have heard that Mr Lloyd Singh is the developer of the project…I’ve heard the minister of finance in busget speech that they are negotiating a power purchase agreement with this company to supply 25 megawatts of power costing $50M,” he said.

He argued that had the government gone the route of Amaila Falls for renewable energy it would have been paying less than what is being offered by the wind plant.

“If money was invested in Amaila in the long term it would have been better,” he stated.

He pointed out that Lloyd Singh, the company’s CEO is a “personal friend” of Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan

“In fact the principal of this company has been embraced as a good friend of the AFC and personal friend of Khemraj Ramjattan,” he said adding “this is the incestuous relationship I’m talking about.”

It is understood that Singh is the contractor responsible for the construction of the new Alliance For Change (AFC) head office.

Jagdeo indicated that the building was contracted without an upfront payment for the work.