Latest update November 8th, 2024 1:00 AM
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The “Anil-gate” scandal… recording vs. statements…Nandlall trying to confuse the nation –Nagamootoo
– released statements contradict revelations in despicable recorded conversation
Upon careful examination of several sections of the unapologetic statement by the embattled Attorney General
AFC Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo
(AG), Anil Nandlall, Vice Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Moses Nagamootoo, is of the opinion that the Minister of Legal Affairs is shamelessly trying to confuse the nation.
Nandlall’s statement comes on the heels of a recorded 19-minute conversation he featured in alongside a Kaieteur News reporter, Leonard Gildarie.
Nagamootoo explained that the AG’s released statement, in an attempt to defend the “vile and nasty utterances” he made in the recorded conversation, only served to create more confusion and dent “whatever little integrity he had left.”
The AFC Parliamentarian highlighted one of the many glaring contradictions by the Attorney General. He did this by comparing one section of the statement with the recording.
In the recorded conversation, Nandlall said that he “used money from the government… and pay back long before” Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall “made an issue of it.”
However, in a statement released by a public relations consultant on Nandlall’s behalf, the Minister said, “I wish to set the record straight …the reference relates to the reimbursement I received for monies I expended on medical treatment. This reimbursement was approved by Cabinet in a written Cabinet decision dated 20 June 2013.
“This is, and historically has been, an entitlement of every member of Cabinet long before my appointment.”
Contrary to the so-called “entitlement” which Nandlall said existed “historically” even before his appointment, Nagamootoo, a former member of the People’s Progressive Party contended that this was never the case.
Additionally, the AFC executive member said that Nandlall also contradicted himself when in the recording he said that he leaned on a Ministry for money and paid it back. He turned around in his PR statement to say that he reimbursed the money.
“Nandlall is clearly trying to confuse the nation. Reimbursement is when you receive money that you expended. So if it’s a reimbursement why did he have to repay as he told Gildarie?
“Also, if this is a so called entitlement why did he have to get cabinet’s approval? Why did you have to go through that kind of process for a historically established privilege?”
Anil Nandlall, embattled Attorney General
Government should make clear to the people, its policy upon which such discretion for Nandlall’s reimbursement is given and even for other ministers in general, Nagamootoo said.
“While the government officials and ministers are entitled to their perks and privileges, the ordinary citizen and its union have to go around with a begging bowl for incremental increases in salaries.
“It is only reasonable that Cabinet explain to the people the criteria for this kind of approval for monies. They need to clear this up. This has to be some recent development for it never existed in my time,” Nagamootoo said.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds also said that currently, this is not the case.
Hinds had said that he would not call the monies approved for certain emergencies as an entitlement. The Prime Minister had disclosed that such discretion by Cabinet “is not something that is automatic. It is something that would require much review.”
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s General Secretary, Joseph Harmon, at the coalition’s press conference last week, told media operatives that there are many parts of the infamous recorded conversation that APNU has not touched as yet.
Harmon however, had emphasized that the money Nandlall said he took was not approved by the Parliament for any such reason. The politician had said that this indicates that such a transaction is a “callous betrayal of the citizens’ trust and the fair way in which state resources are supposed to be allocated.”
Vice Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Moses Nagamootoo, in a letter to the editor said that he had found Nandlall’s admission that he had accessed and used government’s money for a personal purpose, which he claimed that he has since repaid, to be most disgusting.
Nagamootoo had lent much support to APNU’s intention to launch an investigation into the financial indiscretion. The Parliamentarian had said that the behaviour of the country’s Attorney General raises eyebrows.
He said that an investigation into that transaction ought to take place now.
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