APNU will pursue repossession of Sanata Complex from QAII, Bobby Ramroop

Feb 16, 2012 News

…to have Parliament release details of all secretive, questionable deals—Carl Greenidge

Pull Quote: “The officers and the Ministers responsible have to realise that they are accountable for the use of Public Funds…We are not speaking about small amounts of money here,”- Greenidge

Frustration will no longer be the order of the day for the Opposition parties in the National Assembly, as previously inaccessible information would now be available for intense scrutiny.
This is according to Former Finance Minister, Carl Greenidge, who in an exclusive interview with this publication revealed that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) plans to have the Parliament mandate the Minister of Finance to make available all of the information for the numerous “secretive and questionable deals undertaken by the previous administration”.
Greenidge said that among the numerous projects that will be hauled in for scrutiny are The Guyana Marriott; CJIA Airport Extension; Amaila Falls Access Road and Hydroelectric Project and the Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII) deal for the Sanata Complex.
Greenidge described the QAII deal as particularly disturbing, pointing out that after the then President Bharrat Jagdeo abused DDL Chairman Yesu Persaud, the administration was forced to concede that they were wrong and amend the laws retroactively.
Head of the Privatisation Unit, Winston Brassington, was the person responsible for negotiating the lease and sale or transfer of the assets of the Sanata Complex.
Greenidge said that as long as it can be established that State Assets were disposed of improperly then the State has the law available to it to ensure that a remedy is implemented.
On the acquisition of the Sanata Complex by Queens Atlantic Investment Inc., headed by Dr Ranjisinghi Bobby Ramroop, a close friend of the former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Greenidge suggested that there is the belief that the relationship with the president might be beyond that of just plain friendship.
He said that it must also be investigated whether Jagdeo has a more direct involvement in commercial transactions of QAII.
Greenidge said that it is clear that there is a view that emanates from the audit office that procurement practices undertaken by the Government in relation to QAII, specifically the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation, are questionable.
He said that it is very possible that the wrongdoing as it relates to transactions between the government and QAII may be beyond just bad procurement practices and indulges in the realm of fraud.
“We will look at all of these with a view to invoking the law where applicable…The officers and the Ministers responsible have to realise that they are accountable for the use of public funds…we are not speaking about small amounts of money here,” said Greenidge.
The former Finance Minister who will be APNU’s point man on finance-related matters, told Kaieteur News, “We as APNU will insist that you have forensic audits of a lot of these transactions with a view to getting recompense.”
Greenidge reminded also that the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act of 2003 actually stipulates penalties for officials who partake in such transactions causing a loss of resources to the state, “so they can take action…There are regulations and laws in place that can be invoked.”
The APNU Parliamentarian said that the People’s Progressive Party has in the past “done as they pleased with impunity because they had an overwhelming majority in Parliament and therefore simply suppressed these matters”.
“I take it that Mr Donald Ramotar means what he says when he talks about changing the culture that he has inherited from Mr Jagdeo… I don’t think there is anything to stop him,” said Greenidge.
Speaking to the many deals that have been brought under intense scrutiny, Greenidge asserted, “As far as these agreements are concerned we have a strong view on them and regarding the way they should be handled. A number of them were undertaken in a period where it is normally prudent to avoid them.”
Greenidge, referring to the election season, said, “Once you announce elections you should not be signing deals of such magnitude with any partners, thus seeking to bind a future Government.”
He explained that there is legislation in many countries, including India, which prohibits Government from undertaking such deals within a time close to the elections.
“There is always the suspicion to do some sweetheart deal for which the country will be held hostage,” Greenidge noted, adding that “We feel that whenever the deals are done they should be laid before Parliament.”
He said that his own personal communication with the Finance Minister – as part of the tripartite arrangement – will include the question of asking for details of all these agreements (investment agreements and general financial investments) and their terms and “we will also make that call within the National Assembly”.
Greenidge pointed out that when they would have been submitted and made available, it will be reviewed by the relevant bodies within the National Assembly “and we will, in keeping with a schedule, have them properly examined to ensure that they are consistent with the law and the terms are in keeping with our needs.”
Pointing specifically to the deals that were agreed upon following the announcement of election and the conclusion of the previous year, Greenidge suggested that there is no reason why the government of the day cannot resign from them.
“If one were to find that there are terms and conditions that are illegal, you can’t hold the government to implementing a deal, the basic tenets of which are in conflict with the laws.”
Greenidge also stated that he has heard suggestions that the government is bound by some of the agreements signed.
“It is nonsense…You are not bound to something that is illegal and the government itself… where it is not illegal but unacceptable, has the capacity to renegotiate.”
He warned that in the coming years, officials found culpable of malfeasance as it relates to transactions with public funds will have to face prosecution.