A cowardly act
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

…gov’t pours cold water on PPP private charges
…warns that more court actions coming against former ministers

THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in an unprecedented move filed private criminal charges of misconduct in public office against two sitting Government Ministers without the benefit of an investigation. But the Government has described the move as “cowardly” and warned that more criminal charges–the likes of those filed against Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington–are coming.

Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence

The private charges were filed against Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence and her predecessor, Dr. George Norton in relation to a $605M drug purchase and the rental of the Sussex Street Pharmaceutical Bond. Opposition Member of Parliament, Juan Edghill and Vickram Bharrat swore to the charges before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

As the informant in the matter brought against the former Health Minister, Bharrat contended that on June 1, 2016, in the capacity of Minister of Public Health, Dr. Norton “wilfully misconducted himself in a way which amounted to an abuse of public trust without reasonable excuse or justification,” when he authorised or caused the rental of a Sussex Street property from Linden Holdings Incorporated for the sum of $12.5M, exclusive of VAT per month.

In the other matter, Edghill is contending that the current Public Health Minister between January 16, 2017 and February 16, 2017 abused the public’s trust when she without any reasonable excuse or justification, authorised or caused the unapproved single sourcing and purchase of drugs and medical supplies for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) from Ansa McAl Trading Limited in excess of $605.9M.

Former Health Minister and Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton

The private criminal charge against Minister Lawrence comes close to six months after the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) had cleared her of any malpractice with respect to the multimillion dollar drug purchase last year and observers are curious as to the motive of the complainant in the case.

In its report, after an extensive investigation into the matter, the PPC concluded that though Minister Lawrence granted approval for the fast-tracking of purchase, she did not suggest that the Procurement Act be breached to achieve the objective nor did she condone such. Ahead of the PPC’s investigation and report, GPHC’s Board of Directors headed by Attorney-at-Law, Kesaundra Alves, facilitated an investigation into the multimillion dollar drug purchase. That investigation had also exonerated the Public Health Minister.

Juan Edghill

The findings have revealed that after a drug shortage was reported at the medical facility, Minister Lawrence met with management and asked that a plan be devised to alleviate the situation. Subsequently, a plan of action was developed and presented to the Minister by the GPHC’s finance director.

That plan of action included determining the availability of drugs from the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Materials Management Unit (MMU) and local suppliers; obtaining quotations from suppliers; sending an evaluation report to the National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTAB) for approval, followed by the awarding of tender. What transpired, however, was that rather than follow the prescribed plan of action to the letter, the then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allan Johnson wrote NPTAB seeking approval for the contracts after the corporation had begun receiving pharmaceuticals from the suppliers. On Thursday, the Public Health Minister declined to make a statement on the charge laid against her on the basis that she has not received any legal notification of the charge filed. The matter is scheduled to come up in court on April 24.

Attempts to distract
Meanwhile, in a statement hours after the charges were filed, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said the PPP is clearly attempting to distract the public from the malfeasance charges filed against former Minister of Finance, Ashni Singh and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington.

“The charges that were filed today (Thursday) against the current and former Minister of Public Health is the PPP’s cowardly attempt to draw public attention away from its own sordid record of corruption while in office,” Minister Harmon said in a statement.

He said the PPP is aware that more charges are soon to be filed against high public officials who served under the Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar administrations. Unlike the charges that were filed against Minister Lawrence and Minister Norton, Minister Harmon said the charges being filed against those who served under the PPP Administration are as a result of months of intense investigation by Commissions of Inquiries and evidence gathered by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force.

“The nuisance value of today’s legal action is just another attempt by a political party; the PPP that is aware that investigations have revealed that during its tenure the nation was losing billions of dollars each year through procurement fraud and other corrupt activities by senior public officials,” he said. Minister Harmon added that “the Guyanese public will not be swayed by the legal shenanigans of the PPP, which, in effect, make a mockery of the legal system,” while expressing Government’s confidence its ministers will be vindicated.

Government, he assured, will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that those who held public offices and engaged in malfeasance while in office are brought to justice. “We are sure that in the matter before the court, the actions of our ministers will be vindicated.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.