Above: A joint press conference with Chinese and Antigua officials (Photo: ABG)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
The governments of Antigua and China held a joint press conference today to address alleged issues surrounding the new 30-megawatt power plant handed over by the Chinese government in Crabbes last September.
The press conference came after a series of questions and allegations over the power plant, including what some charged was use of questionable equipment.
Those allegations were directly refuted by Li Rensong, manager of the Export Import Bank of China.
“Regarding the power plant project, from our grasp of the current situation, there is no evidence — any evidence — [that] can prove that this project has the problem of second-hand equipment, false presses and so on,” he said. “The bank has no way to accept any activities of groundless accusation and vicious attacks toward the power plant project defaming China.”
Li also laid out the standard EXIM disbursement process for the project, which was funded by a $47 million loan facility from the bank.
Antiguan Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer said that since the beginning of the project in 2008, “sections of the Antigua Labour Party and others have been attempting ot cast doubt on the legitimacy of the project.”
“But most recently, the attacks have taken a turn for the worse, becoming vicious, absurd, libelous and contemptuous, and sometimes demonstrate outright lunacy by those spewing the drivel.”
Spencer said he took the decision to hold the press conference to address the questions because of what he called accusations of collusion to defraud the EXIM Bank of China and attacks on the relationship between the two countries.
“Let me say hear loud and clear, the Waladii power plant is new, the generators are new, and the government of Antigua and Barbuda received value for money,” he said.
“They have committed, in my view, a grave injustice against the government and people of the People’s Republic of China who have generously worked with UPP administration in the interest of he development of this nation.