In a press release Mr. Edward Ong, the president of the Pelican Paradise Group, expresed his criticism and disappointment.
He pointed out that on 29 September 2021 the Council of Ministers had approved the government resolution about the Pelican Paradise Group investment and the Special Investment Agreement with alterations. In December these changes were discussed and an agreement was reached between the government and the company, which accepted the alterations. Then on 16 December the Jornal da Republica published Resolution 133/2021 containing the Special Investment Agreement.
The following day the signing was planned. While waiting for the event to start, Pelican Paradise was informed by minister Joaquim Amaral, coordinating Minister for Economy and Industry, that only a part of the agreement could be signed. The reason was that the Minister of Justice wanted ‘to add new clauses’ to the Annexes, ‘although this was not something previously discussed or published’ in the Jornal da Republica, Pelican Paradise stated.
Pelican Paradise refused to accept this request for changes on the very hour of the signing of the agreement, and stated it was ‘absolute bad faith, unprofessional and unethical to the highest degree’ to ask for changes that were not discussed or approved in the published government resolution.
The company pointed out that it had already agreed to all alterations demanded by the government and that the Special Investment Agreement was ready to be signed.
Fidelisw Manuel Leite Magalhães, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, and Minister Amaral assured Pelican Paradise that this was ‘an internal government matter’ which could be solved. However, it could not be solved on the day of the ceremony as Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak was not well and his intervention was required.
Mr. Ong stated he is ‘very disappointed’ by the course of events, but that he accepted the assurances given by ministers Magalhães and Amaral that the matter could be solved by 22 December, that no alterations would be applied, and that the signing ceremony could be held on 10 January 2022. (*)