APNU+AFC asks govt questions about proposed Qatar hotel; Jagdeo says project is “moving forward”

Last Updated on Thursday, 29 February 2024, 21:31 by Denis Chabrol

Amid several opposition parliamentary questions about plans by a Qatari company to build a US$300 million five-star hotel, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said the project would be going ahead.

Mr Jagdeo said government and lawyers and others who are specialised on land matters were asked to “produce the documentation about ownership and the project is moving forward,”

A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) parliamentarian, David Patterson on February 26, 2024 asked Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond to state the method of transfer of ownership of  the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and Guyana National Service (GNS) grounds, Carifesta Avenue, Thomas Lands.

Mr Patterson also wants Ms Walrond to state if the lands were leased, to provide the National Assembly with copies of the lease agreement.

City Mayor, Alfred Mentore is already on record as saying that the City’s administration has records showing that the land belongs to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council. However, Mr Jagdeo remarked on Thursday that, “they dug up some old document from some archive that neither the City Councillors nor the PNC can’t read,” he said.

The Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister is also being asked to provide copies of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and a feasibility study if such an assessment and study were done before the land was vested and concessional agreements were signed.

Mr Patterson wants the Minister to tell  the National Assembly whether the final scope of this development project also includes
incorporation of additional public spaces, namely the National Park and Saint Stanislaus College Sports Ground. He is also asking Ms Walrond to provide the National Assembly with copies of any concessional agreements signed between the Qatar-headquartered developer Assets Group Inc. and/or its subsidiaries with the Guyana government.

Mr Jagdeo defended the project on the grounds that the Marriott Hotel has already outgrown its capacity. “This country is changing. You have to cater for all sorts of activities that bring benefits to the people of the country,” he said. He accused the opposition of blocking development in Georgetown by objecting to the construction of the hotel that would create at least 500 jobs on completion.