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GINA spends $250M to fund newspaper in NY
– McCoy, Subhan fingered in questionable deal with printery
Government Information Agency (GINA) launched a New York edition newspaper late last year under questionable circumstances. This has the Opposition APNU-AFC calling for a full investigation into the publication.
According to Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, his party has discovered another clear indication of how the ruling party continues to misuse public funds without oversight of the National Assembly.
Kwame McCoy54
The situation, he complained, is also creating an uneven playing field for the Opposition as the Government has access to millions of dollars in state resources which are being used indiscriminately for the upcoming May 11 Elections.
“We are condemning this newspaper “The Guyanese” which is being printed in New York. We are being told that GINA used, without Parliament’s approval, $250M to establish this publication. They are not carrying news. The paper is carrying propaganda from the ruling party.
“How fair is it that we are asking ordinary taxpayers to foot a newspaper that does not even represent them or paint the true picture of what goes on in Guyana?”
Ramjattan said that his party, during recent trips by officials to New York, has been attempting to find out the details.
“We have now gotten information that it is a printery out of New York.”
The official, whose party recently announced that it will be partnering with A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) for the May 11 Elections, is convinced that there is massive corruption involved also in the printing.
“We are being told that GINA is spending US$10,000 per fortnight to print 5,000 copies of a 32-page newspaper which is then given away free of cost. This is way too expensive when you compare what the other printers are charging. The publication, given its size and colour, could cost far less than US$2,000. So where is the rest of the money? Who is pocketing the rest?”
According to Ramjattan, the person who has been supplying his party with the details is scared to come forward.
“My understanding is that it is GINA’s Editor Shanta Goberdhan, Neaz Subhan the head, and Kwame McCoy from the Office of the President, who are disbursing the payments from Guyana.”
GINA’s Head, Neaz Subhan
“I want to tell you that as soon as we win the Elections on May 11, this will be one of the first things we will investigate. You just cannot spend taxpayers’ monies to fund a newspaper and it (is) only carrying Government propaganda,” Ramjattan said.
He believed that the $250M pumped into the newspaper launching was also a way to channel monies from public funds to elections coffers of the People’s Progressive Party.
“They are probably gonna send it back to Guyana as part of the arrangement for the elections funding for the PPP.”
Ramjattan believes also that the Government deliberately timed the launching of the newspaper in October because Parliament was in recess and elections were imminent with its dissolution.
“We are convinced that this is a massive piece of corruption. The long arm of the law will be very evident after elections. We are also not unaware of the auditor’s report of the National Communications Network, which is owned by Government and which pointed to significant fraud.
“President Donald Ramotar has refused to release the details. This newspaper deal stinks to high heavens.”
GINA’s head, Subhan, on Saturday, refused to release details of the newspaper.
He would only say that the money is coming from GINA’s budget.
The fortnightly 32-pages newspaper which was launched under questionable circumstances last October.
He did not want to discuss details of the printing but did confirm that the newspaper was started back in October and about 5,000 copies are being printed every fortnight.
The newspaper is prepared in Guyana, using materials from GINA with a point person collecting and distributing it in New York.
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