Government Ministers above the law - Greenidge

Government Ministers above the law – Greenidge

Sep 15, 2013 News

Lots of things that Ministers of Government do in Guyana will render them liable to prosecution in other jurisdictions. It isn’t a case where other countries have stiffer laws than Guyana. Rather, the sad reality is that our government holds its Ministers and friends above the law.

Former Finance Minister, Carl Greenidge

Former Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge made the above declaration yesterday as he commented on the state of affairs in Guyana with regards to corruption in comparison to other jurisdictions in the region.
Greenidge’s specific reference was to the ongoing Cuban light bulb trial in Jamaica.
The former Jamaican junior Energy Minister, Kern Spencer and his former personal assistant, Colleen Wright were sanctioned for corruption.
Spencer and Wright are on trial for Money Laundering and illicit enrichment arising from the implementation of the Cuban light bulb programme in Jamaica.
A prosecution witness who gave evidence on Friday stated that Spencer tried to retrieve several copies of multi-million dollar transactions he conducted after being tipped about his pending arrest of fraud.
Greenidge said yesterday that Guyana will never see such accountability under the present administration. “No Minister under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government has ever been fired or taken to the courts for corruption which occurred under their watch or for other illegalities.”
The Member of Parliament, who sits in representation of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), said that in the past, Ministers were held accountable; “Junior Ministers lost their jobs and Home Affairs Ministers were sanctioned for using state resources for personal agendas.”
Greenidge pointed out that the only Minister that was ever held accountable under the PPP/C administration, was former Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj “and that was because of external forces.”
Greenidge said that the government has created such an atmosphere where even if a Minister is taken before the court, judges will be skeptical to hand down fair rulings in fear of being penalized.
The former Minister said that there have been many cases where persons were penalized “just for doing their jobs.
The APNU Member of Parliament cited former High Court Justice, Jainarayan Singh, former Chief Magistrate, Juliet Holder Alleyne and Former Attorney General (ag) the late Doodnauth Singh as some who suffered at the hand of government when they were only guilty of doing their jobs. “These people’s benefits were withheld.”
Greenidge said that the government has created a reputation to scare these people. “To get your benefits and live a decent life after retirement, you have to do what we want you to do; that’s what the government is saying and that is the fear those officials face.”
Greenidge said that the opposition tried to curb these inadequacies in the system by making the agencies for justice independent but the government refused to pass the Bills to do so.