The Alliance for Change (AFC) has refused to accept the resignation of its Chairman, Nigel Hughes, who today resigned following revelations that he is the Company Secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydro Inc – the company which will operate the controversial Amaila Falls Project.
In a statement issued to the media, the AFC noted that the Party’s General Secretary, David Patterson rejected the resignation, citing the AFC’s full and complete confidence in Hughes.
On his Facebook page today, Hughes stated that he has been secretary to the company since 2009, which he noted is a matter of public record.
He said that the revelation of this information at this time was intended to create the impression that he was favouring his clients in deliberations with the AFC on the Amaila issue.
Meanwhile, the AFC in its statement noted that Hughes was not a member of the AFC in April 2009 when he commenced professional engagement with Amaila Falls Hydro Inc [AFHI]/Sithe Global.
Hughes officially joined the Party in July 2011.
“Mr. Hughes was elected Chairman of the Party on August 4th 2012. Therefore the matters of professional engagement with AFHI predated, by some time, Mr. Hughes’ membership to the Party and further his election to the office of Chairman.
Mr. Hughes declared his professional association with Sithe Global at the commencement of the Amaila Fall Hydro Power Project coming into national focus and requested of the Party that he be recused from the decision making process at every stage. The Party agreed and Mr. Hughes has been so recused,” the AFC explained.
Hughes wife, Cathy Hughes, who is also a member and parliamentarian of the Alliance for Change, is the Public Relations Officer of Sithe Global, one of the major investors in the Amaila Project.
