Dear Editor
HERE’S a man who led an organised and well-oiled machinery that squeezed the nation’s financial operations such that only his cabal benefitted from the spoils. What a human!
Here I refer to another of his hysterics, this time via the Kaieteur News, of April 15, 2018 headlined, “APNU+AFC is most corrupt Gov’t. in English speaking Caribbean’’.

Any reader of basic political strategy will know that this is another desperate attempt at damage control in the wake of another instance of big wigs of the People’s Progressive Party/CIVIC (PPP/C) administration being taken to court, this time for charges surrounding the sale of state lands. Of course, he has labelled the charges “frivolous”, even accusing the government of “manipulating the Director of Public Prosecution(DPP) and directing SOCU to institute fabricated and malicious charges against political opponents and highly qualified professional Guyanese…etcetera.’’

I am not the spokesperson in any way for the offices of these two important departments of the criminal justice system, except to say that such statements emanating from the person of the opposition leader is disrespectful to say the least and are attempts to cast aspersions on the professionalism and integrity of their respective functions. One would hope that in a short while, appropriate responses to Jagdeo will be forthcoming.

As an aside, the leader of the opposition should be reminded that both the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the judiciary now function in a free and more professional environment, unshackled from the dictates of the executive that had formerly been the stultifying environment of past PPP/C administrations. Jagdeo must now observe the High Court decisions that have not favoured the government. The judiciary is now truly independent.
Reverse psychology is a known medium by those who are morally cornered and in many other ways, to deflect situations that are not only proven, but quite applicable to them, on to the source of revelation. Of all citizens of the world of corrupt practices and criminalities committed against the people of this country, Jagdeo has the gumption to speak about such a culture! He lacks every right, and all reasons to even utter any statement, much less accusation against any other executive.

Every Caribbean island, its leaders, and peoples are well aware of what had occurred in this country during the period of PPP/C administrations. In fact, there was a saying that used to make the Region’s rounds: that Guyana is good for business because one did not pay any taxes. And there were other innuendoes that were so demeaning that it felt shameful to be a Guyanese. No doubt that so many Guyanese travellers suffered humiliation at CARICOM ports of entry, because of the perception of what their then government and country represented.

Which country that was governed in accordance with the Rule of Law, would have allowed continuous auditor general’s reports that revealed serious discrepancies in the spending of taxpayers’ monies to go unchallenged without investigation? We are all now aware, via the coalition government’s requested audit reports, about the wholesale financial criminalities that took place at the state level.

How does he explain the Guyana Rice Development Board’s (GRDB) loaning of $100M to the senior functionary of the Guyana Rice Producers Association(GRPA) without any proper documentation, if any? Further, where did this money go? Has it been accounted for, and is such a transaction authorised in the board’s remit?

Then there is the accusation of the board’s money being used by senior officials in a buying-and-selling scheme of foreign exchange. Was this an authorised, legitimate business activity? Add this to the allegations of money laundering, and we have a well woven tapestry of free-for-all with taxpayers’ monies. These are just episodes in the principal investigation surrounding the sum of US $500M of Petro Caribe funds.
Also, Jagdeo or Donald Ramotar, his protégé, or both of them should explain the huge sums of money, a reported $14 billion, found deposited in a former permanent secretary’s (PS) bank account. Just how and where did such a colossal sum originate? If as the now charged PS has claimed, that such sum accrued from the sale of phone cards, then he must have had the sole monopoly as distributor!

These are just the tip of the iceberg’s financial plunder that occurred under the watch of the PPP/C. Editor, the above samples, assist in understanding why there had never been any urgency on the part of the former government to legislate the Anti-Money laundering Bill, or give sharpest teeth to the Special Organised Crime Unit, both of which were finally done by the coalition government on assumption of office.

Jagdeo’s reported best friend is well known to the entire nation as one of the most highly favoured of the PPP/C’s beneficiaries for contracts. He cornered the entire state health’s pharmaceutical supply. I stand to be corrected when I say that this chosen one had been facilitated by the very unfair and devious strategy of being made privy to the pre-qualification conditions, as reported in the media. It placed the other bidders at a disadvantage. Also, this very supplier, as reported, was given a cheque in excess of $500M as total payment for pharmaceuticals which had not as yet been supplied, and which manner of payment made had been against procedures.
Jagdeo ought to be reminded that an investigation carried out by the National Procurement

Commission, which is inclusive of a former PPP/C cabinet official, as ordered by government as a result of accusations against the subject minister, exonerated her from any charge of illegality.

There are going to be other citizens, whom I am sure will rebut Jagdeo’s spurious claims, ripping apart his lies and attempts at misinformation. But as a final question, I should ask, how did the Jagdeo PPP/C government award ‘Fip’ Motilall such a huge contract for the Amaila Falls road project, when he did not have any prior track record of building anything, not even a fowl pen.

It is quite evident that both the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) are causing a nightmare for Jagdeo, since each charge and subsequent trial, will further inform the nation about the disrespect heaped on it by a government and cronies that governed in the interest of a few. Corruption is an economically debilitating crime, since it takes away from providing better comforts for citizens, in the particular jurisdiction. Let the law continue to take its course.
Regards
Earl Hamilton