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Reaction to Ministers’ government-funded trip to CCJ petty – Gaskin
Dominic Gaskin, of the Alliance For Change, has said that the outcry over the use of public funds to send six ministers to Trinidad, is
[from left] Vice-President, Sydney Allicock; Minister of Public Service, Tabitha Sarrabo-Halley; Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton; Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry; and Minister of Business Haimraj Rajkumar
This comes on the heels of criticism that government sent ministers who had no technical assistance to provide to the legal team.
Kaieteur News had reported that Attorney-at-law, Christopher Ram, criticised the government for sending them there for no apparent reason. Those ministers are Vice-President Sydney Allicock; Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry; Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton; Minister of Public Service, Tabitha Sarrabo-Halley; and Minister of Business Haimraj Rajkumar.
But it was revealed by Joseph Harmon, Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, that a sixth Minister, Ronald Bulkan, of the Communities Ministry, also joined the team on the second day.
During a press conference on Thursday last, Harmon also confirmed that those ministers’ trip was government-funded.
The Alliance For Change (AFC) held a press conference, during which Dominic G
Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan
askin was asked how a government justifies sending a team of ministers to Trinidad for no apparent reason.
He said that “if you are taking a matter to a court of such stature, then you should also take with you some sort of representation of the interested party. You don’t just send your lawyers.”
He said that it is the government that is actually involved in this matter.“I see no reason why certain representatives of the government shouldn’t attend the hearing.”
The former Business Minister said that, sometimes, “we can be very petty about things.”
He asked, “What is the total cost in the grand scheme of things?”
This matter, he noted, “has been a matter that has been at a very high level and set some precedence, and created a much clearer understanding for us as Guyanese of what certain positions of our constitution need. Isn’t that more important than the fact that we had ministers flying to Trinidad to attend court?”
At this juncture, the public awaits news of the cost of that trip.
Ram had said, “It is hoped that the AG and the Minister of Finance will give taxpayers a full account of the expenditure borne by them for the prosecution of these cases. So far, the AG has retained at least five Senior Counsel from abroad who command very high fees.”
“Responsible government requires that taxpayers’ money is properly spent and fully accounted for.” Ram said.
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