FORMER President Donald Ramotar has informed Managing Director of BK International, Brian Tiwari that he is not his brother’s keeper.The retort is the latest in what appears to be a tit-for-tat between the former President and the BK International Managing Director.

Tiwari had accused Ramotar of corrupt practices in which Ramotar’s brother benefited.

According to Ramotar in a statement, Tiwari made allegations against his brother in Mafiosi style.

Last week, Tiwari called on Ramotar to explain why the PPP, while in Government, sold to his (Ramotar’s) brother three barges and one tug for a price below $20M.

According to Tiwari, the former President’s brother flipped one of the barges in a transaction for $50M in a matter of days after purchase. This was reportedly followed by a sale by the Ministry of Public Works of another barge valued in excess of $150 million and this was again sold to Ramotar’s brother for a mere $3M, allegedly causing the State to lose millions of dollars.

BK’s Managing Director also asked Ramotar to explain the sale of 25 acres of sugar land belonging to the West Demerara Estates for chick pea price, again to associates of his brother with his brother being a main beneficiary.

In response to these accusations, Ramotar sought to make it clear that he is not his brother’s keeper.

“Let me state from the outset that I am not my brother’s keeper. However, I feel compelled to respond because Mr Tiwari attempts to implicate me in a number of wrongdoings. As a result, I took the time to speak to my brother to ascertain these claims of Mr Tiwari,” he said.

According to the former President, his brother never purchased any land from GuySuCo and no one owns any such land on his behalf. Secondly, his brother offered to purchase lands from GuySuCo, but was never in receipt of a response.

As such, Ramotar challenged Tiwari to produce evidence to the contrary.

Additionally, he noted that while his brother owns a tug, which was acquired even before he became President, it was never purchased from NICIL.

Regarding the barge, the former President said that it was owned by MARAD and that Tiwari had used it for years before it became unworkable. Tiwari reportedly abandoned it at Parika after it became unworkable and left it to sink.

Ramotar said subsequently, his brother was awarded a contract to fetch materials for the Government and was permitted to repair and use the same barge.

He reportedly did this for years and MARAD eventually offered to sell him the barge. The former President said that a certificate of valuation was issued and his brother reportedly purchased the barge at a price above the valuation.

Ramotar went on to state that just a few months ago, Tiwari caused the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) to investigate this matter, and he is of the belief that Tiwari wants this barge back given that it is now in good condition.

“SARU investigated this matter and examined my brother’s documents. My brother has heard nothing since,” he added.

In addition, the former President referred to Tiwari’s claim about his brother receiving a container of parts from a Chinese businessman. This, Ramotar said, is another lie.

“I was told that it was Mr. Brain Tiwari who introduced my brother to the Chinese businessman. He [my brother] told me that he had ordered from this businessman a part for the steering of his tug. The gentleman obliged and brought it in. It was housed in a box not more than five feet long and three feet wide. That is a far cry from a forty feet container,” he said.

It was noted too that in Tiwari’s presence, Ramotar’s brother enquired from the gentleman, the cost. However, Ramotar said that the gentleman refuse to accepted any payment.