Earlier in the news, you saw the UDP's protest, triggered by the 20 million dollar SSB loan. While the matter was raised by the Leader of the Opposition in the adjournment - which happened until the evening, we also spoke with him outside the House. He has detailed his party's concerns with the loan - the most important being that major parts of the transaction aren't sufficiently transparent - including the players involved in the public/private partnership.
And even though the board members include those from the government, he says it should be more diverse.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"This is the problem we have with this because it's not Coye's money. It's not Briceno's money. It's not the People's United Party bank account. It's the people's money, the taxpayers' money. And in the past, when a private sector engaged in a PPP, private sector takes 100% risk."
"The government doesn't take any risk. It's usually the private sector. In this instance, we have Social Security investing 20 million in a dead raise. We don't even know who the private entity is. And these things are troubling."
Reporter
"They've said it's going to be a board and it's going to be three SSB reps and two from the government. That's who will be on the public admin campus."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"OK. Why not stakeholders the way we did it with Bil? Why not opposition members? Why not a member of the church, a member of the Union, a member of trade and commerce, a member of the opposition? They promise to be better. They promise greater transparency, greater oversight."
Reporter
If it's still government and statutory bodies. The board, in the PPP."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"You're saying in this makeup?"
Reporter
"In the PPP. In the PPP. The special purpose vehicles."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Yes. Where is the opposition? Where are the social partners? Right? So that is problematic."
Reporter
"Did Bil have any?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Yes. but social partner stakeholders. And what I'm saying is John Briceno, promise to be better than the UDP. They promise to give greater transparency and we've seen anything but."
