–Rohee says no audit report can destroy PPP

By Alva Solomon
CLEMENT Rohee, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, has opined that Government is unsure what to do with the completed audit reports of various public sector agencies, and he is of the view that those reports “cannot” destroy the People’s Progressive Party.“I don’t think this new Government, irrespective of all the audits, can destroy the party; the PPP is not a ‘two-b-three’ party,” Rohee said.

SPECULATION AND CONTRADICTION
Speaking to the media conference at the party’s headquarters at Freedom House on Robb Street yesterday, Rohee said investigations into embattled Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Omar Shariff, appears to be a matter of “speculation and contradiction” being played out in the media. He said he has not seen any disclosure of irregularities regarding Shariff, as he reiterated his stance on the matter.

Rohee said he was informed that several audit reports have been sent to the Guyana Police Force, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, and the Ministry of the Presidency. “They don’t seem to know what to do with these audits,” he said.

He said he believes the audits should have included the views of the previous board members of the state agencies which were subjected to the audits. “We have not heard anything on those matters,” he said.

Rohee said Government has indicated that it needs additional time before acting on the audit reports, but he thinks the Government may be “dragging on this thing to the next election.”

Shariff recently visited his office to officially hand over duties to Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communities, Abena Moore. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has sent Shariff on annual leave from July 1, in order to facilitate the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) investigating large amounts of money reportedly discovered in his personal bank accounts.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that Shariff, who served under the APNU+AFC Administration for just over one year and under the former People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) for several years, is unlikely to return to his post at the conclusion of the investigation.

He was, last Thursday afternoon, arrested and placed on $200,000 station bail in relation to investigations over money laundering and tax evasion.

Meanwhile, recent reports in another section of the media have indicated that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, has indicated that civil, rather than criminal, proceedings should be pursued regarding the Pradoville 2 housing scheme issue. Questioned on the matter on Tuesday, Rohee said it should be allowed to play out.

“Wherever the chips fall, let them go,” he said.

He said that if SARU has a case, the matter will have to be directed to the DPP, who will offer advice. “To me, it’s like a toothless poodle,” he said of SARU, noting that only the Police Force can arrest anyone based on advice from the DPP.

Last October, SARU, headed by Dr Clive Thomas, indicated in a report that, in 2010, the Administration of former President Bharrat Jagdeo authorised the public holding company National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to privatize state lands. The ‘Pradoville Two’ community, which lies in front of Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara, was subsequently developed unknown to the relevant authorities. SARU pronounced that the lands were “grossly undervalued” and sold below market value to former ministers and known associates of the former PPP government. Among those who benefited from the arrangement are Jagdeo, Dr Jennifer Westford, Priya Manickchand, Clement Rohee and Robert Persaud, all members of the PPP/C. Former GDF Chief of Staff Gary Best and DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack are also on the list of beneficiaries.