…cites flagrant acts of corruption under his watch

GOVERNMENT on Thursday flayed the Opposition Leader for comments accusing government ministers of corruption, saying that the former president has a dismal record and is increasingly becoming desperate.

Jagdeo’s comments at a news conference were directed at Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman. In a joint statement issued by the Department of Public Information, the ministries reassured the public that all of the businesses conducted have been done within the law and regulations and “…reject, in its entirety, this claim by the “increasingly beleaguered and desperate Mr. Jagdeo” and challenge him to provide evidence.

The ministries said they are certain that he will be unable to do so as no evidence to this effect exist. “This outlandish, unsubstantiated claim by the Opposition Leader is nothing more than a red herring and a cheap ‘distractionary’ tactic to divert the public’s attention from the charges laid against former PPP Minister of Finance, Ashni Singh and former head of NICIL, Winston Brassington,” the statement read. According to the ministries, Jagdeo knows that much work has been done in uncovering the extreme corruption which was rampant while he was President and the PPP was in government and that the chickens are now coming home to roost. “Months of tedious work is now resulting in charges being laid and Mr. Jagdeo knows that very few in his government would be unscathed. Instead of confronting their record of corruption, Mr. Jagdeo resorts to cheap theatrics and baseless political distraction,” the ministries stated.

The ministries said they found it laughable that Jagdeo has the audacity to lecture anyone on corruption and good governance “when the most flagrant acts of corruption and obscene levels of lack of transparency and accountability occurred under his watch during his controversial and uninspiring presidency. Mr. Jagdeo’s presidency is characterized by an unending list of scandals and ill-conceived projects which left a major burden on Guyanese taxpayers, not least among them being the Pradoville 1 and 2 land-giveaways, the Amaila Falls scandal and the Skeldon Sugar Factory scandal.”

Further, the ministries said it was under Jagdeo’s presidency that Guyana was ranked lowest in the Corruption Perception Index, while under the Coalition administration marked improvement has been shown in this regard. “This government’s visionary execution of infrastructural projects seems to be deeply irking Mr. Jagdeo who failed to execute same during his presidency,” the statement ended.

Jagdeo at his news conference said that his party is keeping a close eye on the ministries governed by members of the Alliance for Change (AFC). He said they are watching the oil and gas sector, the Natural Resources Ministry which is headed by AFC’s Raphael Trotman and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure which is under the purview of David Patterson.

“When we get into power in 2020 and we discover that there is misappropriation of assets, then those people will face the music,” said Jagdeo. He believes that there have been misappropriations in those two ministries in particular. Jagdeo added that if they are re-elected they will look for infractions and ensure that persons are charged. “There will be a proper investigation by impartial people. If there is misappropriation of assets then those people will face the music,” said the opposition leader.