I READ an article in the Kaieteur News on Monday January 13, 2014, under the headline: “Forestry Directors should be hauled before the courts – Chris Ram”.

Kindly permit me to state the following in the Guyana Chronicle in relation to this article:
1. Christopher Ram is not the right authority to make pronouncements on public accountability, rather it is the Attorney General (AG). Ram is a very controversial figure who is politically biased and has ulterior, wicked intentions.
2. Where was Ram in the days of the widespread corruption under the illegal PNC regime? Why did he fail to report on those years of the PNC’s non-submission of reports to Parliament? Why this silence? It is because Ram is a part of them.
3. Never in the history of Guyana has there been such large-scale corruption that occurred under the PNC and, to date, Ram the accountant and analyst with his continued silence thinks that is ‘ok’ and that the PNC has done the right thing. Very good Mr. Ram, but the Guyanese people are not foolish and moreso cannot be fooled.
4. But I am still to get what is so wrong with the GFC’s financial report. Ram’s analysis is flawed and has failed to point out any single issue other than his usual rambling, wild accusations and unprofessional behaviour in his effort to gain political mileage and cheap publicity. Ram should familiarise himself with the GFC act that allows the Commission to manage its resources and to make payments. So what is illegal or unconstitutional on the part of the GFC?
5. Ram, unlike the Attorney General, is not independent. He is unprofessional and politically biased. Guyana Stock Feeds Inc. claimed in its 2013 Interim report that the company paid $80.2M in dividends which it did not, according to a Guyana Securities Council Public Advisory which was published in all the daily newspapers. But while Ram made comments on the company’s 2012 results, he failed miserably to specifically address the “dividends payment” as claimed by Guyana Stock Feeds Inc. (S/N Sat Jan 11th, 2014). This has missed Ram who is not concerned since he and the company are friends and political partners. How one-sided and unprofessional is Ram.
6. Ram and McRae audited the Guyana Stores Limited (GSL) 2009 financial statements but failed to express an opinion, even though the auditor found that the GSL group was in breach of the Companies Act, 1991. The Securities Industry Act 1998 and the Corporation Tax Act: 81:03 (Sun Stabroek Nov 3, 2013). In fact, the ruling by the auditor was “because of the significance of the matters discussed in the preceding paragraphs we do not express an opinion on the financial statements”, Ram and McRae said. The Stabroek News, however, posited that “such a ruling by the auditors would call into question the basis of the financial statements submitted for audit” (Sun S/N Nov 3rd, 2013). Ram in his one-sidedness and unprofessionalism did not critically attack the GSL financial statements, because he and the company are (allegedly) friends. He continues to remain silent, but not on the GFC.
7. Ram criticised former president Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo. Ram is not fit to walk the path of the former president who has four honorary doctorates from very prestigious universities. I am sure that Ram would like to have one, but he cannot even walk the path of the former president much less criticize him.
8. Ram needs treatment like what former President Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo gave him at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) when there was a Clico Stakeholders’ meeting. He was barred from speaking and chased out of the NCC. Shame, Mr. Ram!

PETER PERSAUD