By Ariana Gordon

APPROXIMATELY six months after Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Indira Anandjit, was sent on 52 days leave following the disappearance of approximately $2.5 million worth of law books and computer parts, the matter is still being investigated.Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams said Auditor General Deodat Sharma has informed him of a secret arrangement between former President Donald Ramotar and former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, pertaining to the missing law books.

According to a document written by Ramotar and addressed to the Auditor General, the former President admitted to having a private arrangement with Nandlall to spend money voted for under the Ministry of Legal Affairs to acquire the law books for his (Nandlall’s) private use.

“These books would have been voted for in the budget of the ministry, but they would not have been within the curtilage of the ministry… not in the library and could not be found anywhere,” said Minister Williams.

He noted that two days after the PS was sent on leave, vouchers were found showing the disappearance of the law books, despite the fact that they were authorised by her for payment.

“We have a copy of the letter that he (Auditor General) said Ramotar sent to him… to save the PS as I understand it by saying she is not culpable or blameworthy because he had an agreement with Nandlall who was AG that Nandlall could use the ministry’s money and buy these books and keep them.”

The Attorney General said he finds it strange to say the least that Mr Ramotar would admit to such an act.

“But I don’t know why a former President would write admitting that he was involved in avoiding financial regulations etc.”

Williams said he is unsure of whether the former President believes he is immune from suit for actions taken while he was President.

“It is one of the strangest things you’d find in any part of the world, that an arrangement could be made between two government officials to spend taxpayers’ money for private purposes.”

Asked whether Anandjit’s leave has ended, Williams said the matter is still being investigated as the explanation provided by Ramotar to the Auditor General is not acceptable.

“We are looking at the issue, but what I am saying to you is we don’t accept the excuse given by the Auditor General that the former President Ramotar could have a private agreement with the former Attorney General to spend the State’s money for their own personal benefit.”

The private arrangement between Ramotar and Nandlall was only brought to light when the Attorney General followed up on the issue. Anandjit was sent on leave to facilitate an ongoing audit into the disappearance of the books which occurred between 2013 and 2015.

Among the materials missing are 17 Commonwealth law books valued in excess of $2.5 million and computer parts costing almost that same amount.

Nandlall confirms arrangement

Meanwhile, Nandlall in a detailed response, admitted that he did enter into such an arrangement with the former PPP government. He explained that he commenced subscribing to Lexis Nexis, (UK), publishers of The Commonwealth Law Reports, approximately twelve (12) years ago.

The initial arrangement is that individual Law Reports be shipped in his name at his law office along with an invoice which is paid him upon receipt; however, this arrangement changed when he came a government minister.

“In discussions which I had with His Excellency, President Donald Ramotar, immediately prior to my appointment as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, I specifically requested, as a condition of my service, that the Government of Guyana take over payment arrangements for these books during my tenure as a minister. This was agreed upon as a condition of my service as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs,” Nandlall admitted.

He said that for decades prior, the government through its various agencies, pay for professional and technical publications, journals, periodicals, magazines, etc. for ministers and professional and technical personnel, as a standard operational expenditure.

Nandlall claims that Minister Williams was fully briefed on this arrangement on or about May 20, 2015.

“I do not recall him raising any objections whatsoever. A few months later, when I read in the press that an investigation is being launched into, inter alia, these very books, I enquired of the Attorney General the reason for this investigation. I reminded him that I had earlier fully briefed him on this matter. His response was that I should stay out of this matter and that this is a matter between him and the Permanent Secretary,” Nandlall said.