Ramson moves to supply blacklist info to Edghill

May 24, 2017 News

Commissioner of Information, Justice Charles Ramson, has endeavored to source the information being requested by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill. Edghill wants a list of the names of persons who have been

Commissioner of Information, Justice Charles Ramson

blacklisted from leaving Guyana.
Edghill wrote Ramson about a week ago. The Commissioner penned the response on Monday and Edghill received it yesterday.
In the letter, Ramson acknowledged receipt of Edghill’s application and said that he has already set a process in motion to access the requested information.
Ramson said that he prepared letters to the Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud and “shall have them delivered.”
He continued, “As you are aware, this exercise has to be outsourced owing to the absence of staff since July 2015. My office has not been provided with any officers, employees etc. by the Minister of Information as is required by the Access of Information Act 2011. As soon as I receive a response to my letter of demand I shall communicate with you.”
It is interesting to note that, according to the content of the letter, the correspondence to Persaud is to be sent because of limited resources. However, Ramson was able to send the letter to Edghill which was delivered one day after it was penned.
This newspaper carried a story indicating that as SOCU intensifies its investigations into 19 forensic audits that were referred to that entity, in excess of 200 persons have been blacklisted. This means that those persons who have been identified by SOCU cannot leave Guyana through the lawful ports of exits.
According to a government source, the list is being constantly updated as the crime unit delves deeper into suspected cases of money laundering and misuse of state funds by some officials.
The source said that during the execution of the investigations, once suspected ‘skullduggery’ is detected, the blacklist order is applied for by that unit to the relevant authority.
The source said that it should be made clear that blacklisting an individual is not something that is taken lightly or on a whim, but a solid case has to be made before such an undertaking is made.
Edghill had earlier written to the Police Commissioner and the Chief Immigration Officer to make the list available. However, according to opposition MP, he has not received a response from either official, and is now looking to Ramson to help in this regard.
Ramson has come in for much criticism for not presenting a single report since taking up the office as Commissioner of Information. Many have called on the government to act decisively to ensure that he fulfills his obligation in the role he currently holds.
Ramson, whose monthly salary is in excess of $1M, has been accused of doing very little since taking up the position. Some sections of society have been calling for him to go, but it has been established that it is difficult to remove the veteran lawyer from his position.
Previously, the Opposition Leader had requested from Ramson, information on Parliamentarians who did not declare their assets to the Integrity Commission.
That request was made in January 2016 and was rejected by Ramson.
The PPP/C is contending that some of those persons that are on the blacklist might not know that they are there in the first place. Moreover it is the party’s view that placing someone on such a list should be the responsibility of the courts.
The party also said that it is unlawful for SOCU or any other law enforcement arm to unilaterally place someone on such a list without being directed to do same by a court of law. (Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell)

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