Dear Editor

MARK Benschop was right to point out in his article of the 15th May, 2018, in the Stabroek News that a letter written by Winston Brassington was intended to influence public opinion.
By far, the most disgusting episode of publicity to influence public opinion took place on Wednesday 9th May, 2018 on a programme, ‘Plain Talk’, moderated by Chris Ram, whose guest launched a bitter and unwarranted attack on the government and the police for instituting charges against former Minister of Finance Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington, the former CEO of NICIL, who are charged with misbehaviour in public office for underselling state assets.

Ashni Singh was the Minister of Finance and the Chairman of NICIL, Winston Brassington was the CEO. It was Ashni Singh who directed that trillions of dollars of state funds collected on behalf of the government by the government corporations and agencies should be transferred from the government corporations and agencies to NICIL, instead of depositing them into the Consolidated Fund as is required by the constitution. This was done to avoid parliamentary oversight of the project and the utilisation of funds.

Some of the most blatant abuses of state funds were used to finance, firstly, the construction of the Marriott Hotel without the approval of Parliament; secondly, the development of Pradoville 1 and 2 on government lands which were shared out to Jagdeo and PPP members and friends. The contract for construction of the Marriott Hotel costing billions of dollars was never seen by the opposition party or was ever presented to Parliament, despite calls from the opposition for disclosure of same.
Similarly, the development of Pradoville 1 and 2 was never presented to Parliament.

Regards
G. Jones