‘Probe into corruption in Guyana must start with Jagdeo’ – PNCR says

Jul 29, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – The main opposition party – Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) on Sunday said that investigations into corruption in Guyana must start with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and his ruling PPP/C Government.

The PNCR said that Jagdeo’s sudden interest in ensuring corruption is investigated “is an attempt to appear concerned about corruption, protect himself and the corrupt PPP regime while shifting the focus away from them to public servants with the aim of browbeating the people of Guyana and make them believe the PPP regime is interested in fighting corruption- they are not, they are the architects of, and complicit in corruption.”

On Monday March 19, US Candidate to the Human Rights Committee for the years 2023- 2026, Professor Laurence Helfer had grilled Minister of Governance, Gail Teixeira at its 140th session, for answers on its shortcomings when it comes to transparency and investigating allegations of corrupt practices.

In posing questions about alleged corruption in Guyana Helfer said that the human rights committee understands that the current Guyana Government had dismantled the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) when it took office and in 2020, in response to concerns about its effectiveness and asked which agency is now responsible for recovering stolen state assets.

He then followed up by pointing out that the Human Rights Committee reiterates its “request for information on measures to ensure prompt and effective investigations into allegations of corruption and the prosecution of perpetrators” before stating “The committee is aware of public frustration regarding for example the failure to investigate reports of corruption by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo”.

Helfer did not say what alleged corrupt practices Jagdeo is accused of but Teixeira in her response spoke of a Vice News article that accused him of using a Chinese businessman, Zhi Rong Su to “cash bribes for government contracts”.

She said, “…there was no follow-up because there was no police report made by Vice News or anybody else and so police cannot investigate without some form of report or complaint.” “However, the VP has answered this issue publicly several times in the same media that has carried these reports”, Teixeira added.

In 2022, Jagdeo’s former friend and tenant, Zhi Rong Su implicated him (Jagdeo) in bribery and corruption. Su had disclosed to VICE News reporters posing as Chinese investors that Jagdeo took “cash bribes” for multimillion dollar contracts and that he (Su) was his middle man. VICE News on July 7, 2022 premiered a documentary with its findings. In the documentary, Jagdeo called Su “a good friend of ours” and his tenant during an interview with one of the VICE News’ reporters.

A local group Institute for Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD) had also formally lodged a complaint against Jagdeo to Acting Police Commissioner, Clifton Hicken to investigate corruption allegations against Vice-President.

The police chief was written after the government told United Nations (UN) Human rights Committee CCPR that it never investigated Jagdeo because no official police report was made against him. In the letter also copied to the Director Public Prosecution, Shalimar Ali Hack SC. and signed by former Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, the organisation requested that a formal investigation be launched into allegations of corruption made against Jagdeo by Vice News.

“The evidence presented in their report suggests that high level officials may be engaging in illicit activities, which must be thoroughly investigated to maintain public trust and uphold the rule of law,” the IFAAD said while urging the Commissioner to ensure that the investigation be done transparently and without any obstruction. The IFAAD added, “Once the investigation has been completed, we kindly request that you share all the findings with the public,” IFAAD said while calling on Hicken to take the appropriate legal action if the allegations made are “substantiated” with evidence.

Independent probe

Meanwhile, in its statement the PNCR said if Jagdeo and the PPP are serious about fighting the scourge of corruption, then they must start with an independent investigation into the allegations of bribery and corruption against Jagdeo that were disclosed in the Vice News documentary. “They must recognize that in dropping the 19 fraud charges against President Ali and those against other former ministers, they have very early in this term signaled the Guyanese society that corruption is acceptable.”

According to the PNCR, the PPP regime cannot be selective in who they investigate and prosecute. “All must be equal before the law and therefore the many serious allegations against the PPP regime, their families, friends and favorites must be investigated and where there have been breaches of the law, they must face the full force of the law.” “Let it be made very clear, we believe that the senior police officers and other public servants, private citizens and all involved in corruption must be investigated and prosecuted once they are found to have violated the law. What we are objecting to, is the regime protecting its elite, families, friends and favorites while farcically going after public servants to shift focus away from the PPP regime which is extremely corrupt, complicit in corruption and created the conditions for corruption to engulf the entire Guyanese society.”

Only last week speaking on the subject of alleged corruption in the Guyana Police Force Jagdeo assured that there will be no cover-up in the probe into the alleged financial impropriety and other acts of corruption by officers. The investigations will be conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). The Vice President said that it is his government that has depoliticised the Force and assures that an impartial investigation will be conducted. It is important to note that SOCU is an arm of the GPF.

The announcement that SOCU will head the investigation into the corruption allegations against members of the Force sparked much discussion as pundits believe that the situation mirrors the proverbial cat and milk.

Since the surfacing of allegations of financial impropriety within the GPF, three senior officers were reassigned while Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus, one of the reassigned, requested annual leave to facilitate an investigation into the corruption allegations.

“I see that in some cases they want external agencies to investigate, to undermine local institutions. We have depoliticized SOCU. SOCU doesn’t go after political opponents now, they go after criminal matters. That used to happen under APNU, it was politicized. SOCU is an agency dedicated to this sort of investigation— there will be no cover up. And it’s shameful that some people would try to undermine the same institutions that we are all trying to build,” he said.

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• corruption, Guyana, PNCR, PPC Govt., Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

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