Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
No proven case of corruption against PPP- Rohee
-nation just hearing about audits, reviews
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has come out swinging against the contention that it is the most
PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee
corrupt party in post-independence Guyana. The party said while the nation is being told about forensic audits into state agencies and other inquiries, it is not being given the results.
General Secretary, Clement Rohee, also zeroed in on former party stalwart Ralph Ramkarran, who recently described the party as most corrupt. At the party’s weekly press conference yesterday, PPP General Secretary Rohee questioned whether Ramkarran’s gripe against the party was not personal in nature.
Ramkarran’s assertions took centre stage at the press conference yesterday, with Rohee declaring, “To say that the PPP/C government was the most corrupt administration of post-independence Guyana is not only misleading, it is a downright and gross misrepresentation.”
“Not a single case has been proven.” Rohee said, on the audits. “All that we are hearing is investigations, Commissions of Inquiries, audits, reviews and so forth.”
Rohee also demanded that Ramkarran supply proof of the PPP’s corruption to which he had referenced. Rohee pointed out that while there have been many claiming that the PPP is “corrupt” and there have been forensic audits launched into several aspects of the previous PPP government, the results of the audits have not been released.
To justify his contention that the PPP was not the most corrupt government, Rohee cited instances in the People’s National Congress (PNC) where there were alleged corrupt activities. He alluded to then Minister of Finance Peter D’Aguiar, who had allegedly stated that $1.5M was spent and could not be accounted for in 1967. D’Aguiar has been dead since 1989.
Rohee also quoted purported statements made by former Mayor Archibald Codrington and Cleveland Hamilton to support his argument.
When asked whether he was using these instances to suggest that one Government was more corrupt than the PPP’s own, Rohee backtracked and denied that he was justifying anything.
Former PPP Minister Dr. Jennifer Westford in court
Rohee’s comments come despite at least one PPP official- former Public Service Minister Dr. Jennifer Westford- being placed before the courts on four charges of attempted larceny. Her charge reads that she allegedly tried to transfer eight state vehicles to individuals including her husband, while she held public office.
Her Ministry has also been investigated by police, who are probing a multi-million dollar fraud under her tenure.
In addition, the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) has already recommended that several key figures from the PPP face criminal charges for their role in questionable transactions, specifically the Pradoville Two scandal.
Those members were, then Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, Westford, former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, former Labour Minister, Dr. Nanda Gopaul and Rohee himself.
An expert on state asset recovery, Brian Horne, was recently brought in from the United Kingdom to liaise with Guyana’s unit. It is also expected that FraudNet (FN), an international fraud unit, will be lending its assistance to Guyana in unearthing and gathering evidence of corruption.
Government has been insisting that there is no delay in releasing the results of forensic audits, which have reportedly cost over $130M. Minister of State Joseph Harmon recently took the position that the audits have to go through a process before they reach cabinet.
He did, however, affirm that once they reach cabinet, they will be acted on expeditiously.
The only report released thus far is the report on Carifesta X.
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