The Finance Minister is himself beginning to believe the propaganda the PPP spouts!

Dec 14, 2013 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Please permit me to respond to another inaccurate “outburst” this time from the Minister of Finance as was reported verbatim in your newspaper of Tuesday, December 10, 2013 under the caption “Finance Minister resorts to cuss out rather than deal with the issue.”
The Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, in now familiar style, when asked about the unaccounted sum of $8000M, resorted to the most vicious form of libel and defamation, which has become a trademark of the party and Government he represents.
The Minister made the following statements in reference to Khemraj Ramjattan.
1. ”We have seen his silence over the conflict of interest when his friend Nigel Hughes was discovered to be company secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydro Project while serving as party chairman.”
2.  ”He has said nothing when Mr. Hughes wife Cathy Hughes failed to disclose as a parliamentarian the conflict of interest created by having her public relations company represent Sithe Global.”
3.  ”We have Mr. Ramjattan’s absolute silence when his friend Nigel Hughes was caught barefacedly lying to the Court about his relationship with a juror during the Lusignan massacre trial.”
In his statement, the Minister is not only inaccurate and malicious but libelous, hoping to detract attention from himself as yet another scandal emerges regarding the possible misuse of the public purse of which he has control.
As such, and for the record, I feel it necessary to correct the lies being peddled by Minister Singh et al and to place a few indisputable facts in the public domain.
Mr. Ramjattan, on the day of the publication of the news of my husband’s position as Company Secretary of Sithe Global, stated that he knew of Mr. Hughes’ relationship with the company.  That Mr. Hughes had disclosed this relationship to the party and that he, Mr. Ramjattan, saw no conflict of interest, as Mr. Hughes did not participate in any AFC meetings, discussions or decisions taken in relation to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.
Further, the Government was fully aware that Nigel Hughes was the Company Secretary for the Company Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. since 2009.
On the question of my alleged non-disclosure that I was Public Relations consultant to Sithe and to the persons who sought to create a storm, I would like to suggest that  the Minister  ask his friends at GINA to secure for him the Kaieteur News newspaper of Monday, December 6, 2010 (yes, over three years ago) when I was the subject of the boldest headline in red  “Cathy Hughes’ affiliation with Synergy Holdings no conflict of interest” in which the article clarifies that I was employed in a PR capacity not with Synergy but Sithe.
How could I possibly be accused of non-disclosure when more than two years before, Kaieteur News highlighted the exact issue and quoted Mr. Ramjattan, who stated that he saw no conflict and that I would be asked to recuse myself if the AFC won government?
I don’t think anyone can disagree that with a headline in Kaieteur News – (the widest read and largest newspaper in circulation figures) the entire country had access to this information.  This is in addition to the fact that I publicly represented the company at public awareness sessions and signed several press releases as PR Consultant.
I have stated publicly (clearly the Minister missed this) that my Company handles the PR functions of several organisations. That is my training, experience and how I earn an honest living.  At no time did I attend any meetings with the Government, Opposition or the AFC regarding Sithe and the Amaila Falls project. My professional ethics, which I hold dear, do not permit me to, and so I recused myself on all occasions. To claim that I may have exerted influence on my Party’s position and my fellow parliamentarians is giving me more credit than is due.
Many have tried to create hysteria and suggest dishonesty on my part where there is none.  I can only say that those who truly “know me” understand what I stand for and I stand tall, integrity intact.
On the final issue of my husband Nigel being caught barefaced lying to the court. There was never any statement made by Mr. Hughes to the court about the juror or his knowledge about any relationship with the juror, so how in the circumstances can he be accused of lying when he made no statement.
The foreman of the jury as it subsequently turned out was not only a PPP member and a client of the Attorney General in 2011, but had actively picketed against Nigel during the Linden Commission of Inquiry.
So Mr. Singh, please remember that neither my husband nor I have access to the public purse.  We have stolen no monies, received no bribes.  I understand fully the dire straits you and your Party find yourself in, which may explain your actions.
We are easy prey, and after nearly two years of serving in Parliament, I realize now that when you step up to be counted, stand up and speak up against all the madness that Guyana is today, your reputation will be deliberately dragged through the mud.  Rest assured I will not play dead, but will continue to scream and shout for a better Guyana, and I am comforted by the hundreds of Guyanese who understand fully “How de story go!”
After all his huffing and puffing the venerable Minister is still to let us know what he did with the $8000M. And again the public servants don’t get their just rewards.
On this matter there is no conflict, only non-disclosure and silence!
Cathy Hughes

 

 

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