Solar power Agreement with Lloyd Singh inked under PPP/C administration – Ramjattan

Last Updated on Friday, 5 February 2016, 9:37 by Denis Chabrol

Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan has stated that an agreement for the supply of power was signed with the Former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration and Hope Farm Wind Mills for the supply of renewable energy.

This comes after a controversy brewed regarding the APNU+AFC administration’s engagement with the proprietor of the company Lloyd Singh, since the businessman is a known financier of the Alliance For Change (AFC).

The  Guyana government is said to be engaging Singh to purchase electricity at approximately 14 cents per megawatt hour, however no final decision has been made.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had flayed the move indicating that process resembled that of a gifting of contracts as repayment for campaign support.

“I have heard that Mr Lloyd Singh is the developer of the Project, I have heard the Minister of Finance in his budget speech that they are negotiating a power purchase agreement with this company,” said Jagdeo who pointed out that Singh is a “personal friend” of Ramjattan.

When contacted for a comment recently, Ramjattan was quick to clear the air on the issue.

“Tell Jagdeo to haul his a**, the boy got the contract for the Wind Farm long before we came into government…It was his government that awarded an agreement to him to make the wind farm there,” said the Vice President.

He indicated that since it became known that Singh was a financier of the AFC, it would appear as though the Opposition has a problem with the contractor.

“It’s because he is AFC and he gave us some money and supported this Party to get into government – that is what?” he questioned.