…Harmon sets record on President’s team travel expenses

MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon has stated categorically that the President’s team has not at any point, spent $1Billion on travels, as alleged by Opposition Member of Parliament, Irfaan Ali, who only last week was charged on multiple counts of fraud. .

Ali, who was speaking during the Budget debates in the National Assembly on Monday, claimed that the President’s team has expended some $1Billion in travel.

Minister Harmon, speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI) said “contrary to the Ali’s outrageous claim, over the period 2015-2018, a total amount of $212, 345,072 was spent on travels by the President’s team.”

“By no stretch of the imagination can you convert two hundred and twelve million to one billion so I want to nail that lie that was told in the National Assembly today,” the minister said.
Meantime, Minister Harmon dubbed the 2019 National Budget, which was presented on Monday, November, 26 by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, as a “people’s budget.” According to the State Minister, this budget, which is the Coalition Government’s fifth to date, has invested heavily in the education, health and overall development of the lives of all Guyanese.

Ali a former Housing Minister, was last Wednesday slapped with 19 charges for alleged conspiracy to defraud the state of some $174M for his role in the notorious Pradoville land-sale scandal. He appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was released on self-bail, claiming that the charges “…have made me stronger.” Ali, 38, of Sea-spray, Leonora, West Coast Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charges.

Ali is accused of defrauding the state of over $174M after selling the land at an undervalued price. The former minister of housing is accused of selling the lands to former President Bharrat Jagdeo; former Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon; and former ministers Priya Manickchand, Dr. Jennifer Westford, Robert Persaud and Clement Rohee; Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, and former army head Gary Best and Fortune Developers Inc., Guyana.

He also sold lands at the locations to former General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board and daughter of former President Donald Ramotar, Lisa Ramotar; former President of the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo; the son of former Labour Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul, Dr. Ghansham Singh; former Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer Rajendra Singh; former president of the Caribbean Development Bank, Compton Bourne; Andrew Bishop, former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission; former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) Shaik Baksh, Safraaz Khan and George Hallaq.