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‘Put up your assets against your earnings’
– Norton tells Jagdeo as bribery allegations deepen
Kaieteur News – Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Mr. Aubrey Norton, is confident that the bribery and corruption allegations against Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo if properly investigated will unearth damning revelations.
Norton presented his reasons for the suspicion during an interview with veteran Journalist, Adam Harris, on Friday evening. The PNCR Leader said that many members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are allegedly involved in corruption and bribery, not only this but that they have mastered the art of keeping their tracks clean.
He explained, “There are many people in the PPP who are clearly involved in corruption and all they resort to say is; provide the evidence. Knowing full well that a lot of times first of all people are going to be afraid and secondly, they don’t do it so that a trail is left behind. But when one looks at their assets in comparison to their earnings, one would recognize that they had to be involved in serious corruption”.
PNCR Leader, Aubrey Norton
Only in October last, a PPP Permanent Secretary who was attached to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs was busted red-handed, receiving bribes before approving projects under her remit. The PS, Sharon Hicks, was caught on October 7, during a police sting operation collecting $200,000 as a kickback from a security services contractor. Several other red flags were also found under the same PS by the Auditor General during his 2020 Report.
When it comes to the Vice President, Norton has said that Jagdeo can simply put his earnings against his assets, which would clear his name. This process would entail using the “correct percentage” to calculate the VP’s earnings against what he owns and if “fits into the law” Jagdeo would be cleared. However, Norton is sure that this process would instead confirm the Vice President’s “corrupt” history.
“I have no doubt that a lot of the claims that are being made will turn out to be true,” the PNCR Leader explained, as he pointed out that Jagdeo’s earnings would date back to when the salaries were not as impressive as it is today. Similarly, Norton noted, “I have said also the same thing about the president. From the time he came out of school, his work life, he can also put his assets against his earnings and show us whether they were gotten free of illegalities. Again, he will be hard pressed”.
The PNCR Leader added that when the assets of the PPP elites are examined as opposed to their legal earnings, one could only conclude that they are involved in “serious corruption”. On February 1, Jagdeo was interviewed by an American reporter from Vice News where he fumbled to respond to his alleged involvement in collecting bribes from Chinese companies, in particular for contracts, approved by his government.
In fact, the Journalist told Jagdeo she was made to understand that bribing him was the only way to get business done locally. While the VP denied this on the premise that it was a mere accusation by an anonymous person, the reporter told Jagdeo that his friend ‘Su’ told them about his involvement with China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited (CSCEC).
Coincidentally, it was only days before the VP’s interview that a contract between the government and CSCEC was terminated for the construction of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge. Government announced that the Chinese company’s bid was “no less than favourable” since this bid was the lowest received for the massive project.
However, Jagdeo later said that the cost of financing would have been too high, hence the contract was terminated. “Su has shown us very lucrative contracts between himself and Chinese state-run operations to develop big infrastructure projects in Guyana. He told us that China State Construction Engineering Corporation helped the Chinese company to make a deal. Up to now they pay me $500,000…,” the reporter insisted.
She said too, that she was told, Su was being used as the “middle man” who collects these monies to keep the VP’s record clean. During his interview, Jagdeo suggested, “Maybe the Chinese company that did not get their agreement that they wanted here, maybe they are the ones who told you, or, it could be just a fictitious thing,” while denying the allegations.
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