Harmon denies offering Duncan money for his resignation

Oct 10, 2016 News

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has denied that he or President David Granger offered Commissioner Carvil Duncan money in exchange for his resignation from various Commissions.
The Minister admitted that indeed there was a meeting at which Duncan was invited to “gracefully vacate the positions he currently holds on several commissions, given that he is currently on trial for allegedly stealing the $984,000 from GPL and conspiring with another to steal over 27M from the said entity.”
Harmon said that Duncan indicated that he would discuss the offer with his family and return with a decision.
However, according to Harmon, the non-response of Duncan led the APNU+AFC Administration to go in the direction of a Tribunal, appointed by President Granger to inquire, investigate and recommend whether Duncan, Chairman and appointed member of the Public Service Commission ought to be removed from office for the inability to discharge the functions of the said office.
Harmon noted that the tribunal will hear its first witness today.
On Saturday last, Duncan released a missive breaking his silence ever since a tribunal was set up to decide whether he is fit to remain on three Commissions.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

Duncan said that he was told by Harmon that President Granger wants “to have me resign as Chairman of the Public Service Commission which would automatically be followed by my resignation from the other Constitutional Service Commissions, namely, the Judicial Service Commission and the Police Service Commission.”
Duncan said that Harmon also requested that he consider a “financial package that would accompany my resignation.”
Further, Duncan said that Granger subsequently met him and told him to resign.
He alleged that the President said to him as many as three times, that “he does not want any blood on his carpet, forcing me to move in the direction of resigning by the deadline of March 15, 2016.”
Duncan is claiming that following those statements, President Granger offered him a financial package “under the same conditions as had been offered by Minister Harmon if I were to resign as he insisted. I left the meeting with an understanding that I would return a call to Minister Harmon confirming my agreement to resign.”
The Commissioner said that a few days later he made numerous telephone calls and left several messages with his Secretary without any response to date.
Duncan is currently facing charges of fraud following findings that he paid himself approximately $1M and allegedly conspired with Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) of the Guyana Power and Light, Mr. Aeshwar Deonarine, for an unapproved transfer of approximately $27M, both sums from the PetroCaribe Fund, into Deonarine’s personal bank account.

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