FINANCE Minister, Dr Ashni Singh has accused Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan of “making some outrageously inaccurate claims” regarding the level of salary increase that can be paid to public servants as provided in the 2013 National Budget.According to Dr Singh, these public statements clearly demonstrates that the AFC, and in particular Mr. Ramjattan, is unfamiliar with the structure of the National Budget and has not been paying attention to answers provided in the National Assembly in relation to this precise matter.

“For Mr. Ramjattan to accuse the Ministry of Finance of lacking credibility, reputation or esteem is highly credulous from a man known to possess these very traits,” the Finance Minister said in a statement.
“The public has seen Mr. Ramjattan turn a blind eye to ethics and morality when his friends commit these social ills. He has voted down the creation of the Specialty Hospital because his client, Fedders Lloyd, did not win the contract. Likewise, he led the charge against the construction of the Marriott Hotel Project out of fear that it will rival his friend, Robert Badal’s Pegasus Hotel,” Dr Singh stated.
He added: “We have seen his continued silence over the conflict of interest when his friend Mr. Nigel Hughes, was discovered to be the Company Secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydro project, while serving as Chairman of the AFC. In addition, Mr. Ramjattan said nothing when Mr. Hughes’s wife, Cathy Hughes, failed to disclose as a Parliamentarian, the conflict of interest created by having her Public Relations company represent Sithe Global, the developer of the Amaila Falls Project while the matter was being debated in Parliament.
We have seen Mr. Ramjattan’s absolute silence when his friend Nigel Hughes was caught barefaced lying to a judge about his relationship with a juror during the Lusignan massacre trial.
Yet, Mr. Ramjattan pretends to be of moral high ground when in fact, the information regarding the uses and purpose of the Review of Wages and Salaries was already presented to the entire nation through the National Assembly as recent as Tuesday, April 2, 2013 and in a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance on Sunday December 8, 2013.”
Dr Singh said the AFC’s disregard of this information provided in the National Assembly and available in the public domain shows a blatant disregard for the proceedings of the House and/or an intent to misrepresent and misinform by factual distortion.
“Put simply, it is a display of either incompetence or dishonesty on the part of the AFC,” the ministry declared.