On the 29 th of July 2022 on the floor of the Senate Minister of Tourism Lisa Cummins during wind up on Resolution: Special Loans Act, Cap. 105 – Scotland District Road Rehabilitation made a surprising revelation. At about 2hrs. 12 mins into the video Cummins explained that a loan agreement with China in 2017 included a condition which exposed Barbados sovereign assets to China in the event there was a default by the government of the day.
A few days later former Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy – who was in office during 2017 – issued a robust denial to what Cummins stated. Quoting Sealy’s rebuttal:-
There is nothing in the agreement about any airport or seaport being [claimed] in the case of default.
I do not know where that young lady got her information. I do not know if she is being misguided . . . [but it is] absolute total rubbish,” he said.
The former minister of tourism added that the agreement was regarding the Sam Lord’s Castle Hotel Project. He said the arrangement with COMPLANT (the China National Complete Plant Import Export Corporation) was for the project to be a discreet one which could stand on its own.
The Government (then) was determined not to have a repeat of the HRL (Hotels & Resorts Limited)/Gems of Barbados fiasco so there was an exit plan where as soon as we completed the job, the private sector would come in and do what they had to do, which is exactly what this Government is doing,
Source: Nation Newspaper
The blogmaster is unaware the public has been satisfied what is the truth in the matter raised. No documents have been made public as far as the blogmaster is aware to satisfactorily clarify the matter. What is the purpose of our existence if our leaders cannot do so with integrity. What is the purpose of a democracy if people remain silent.
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