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FM
Former Member

PPP seeking to bring Ramjattan, Hughes before Privileges Committee

Posted By Staff Writer On July 29, 2014 @ 5:24 am In Local News | No Comments

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is preparing to move motions seeking the referral of the Alliance for Change (AFC) parliamentarians Khemraj Ramjattan and Catherine Hughes to the Privileges Committee.

The sudden move comes in wake of Speaker of the House Raphael Trotman’s ruling to have Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh sent to the committee, based on a motion by APNU member Carl Greenidge and seconded by Ramjattan, over the minister’s spending of $4.5 billion without the approval of the National Assembly.

At the PPP’s weekly press briefing yesterday, General Secretary Clement Rohee said the party was awaiting a response from the Speaker in relation to a letter sent indicating its intention to bring the two motions via the party’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira.

In an invited comment, Trotman said, “Last week I saw for the first time two letters that were styled as Motions [both are in the name of Teixeira] seeking to have the Honourable Members Khemraj Ramjattan and Catherine Hughes referred to the Privileges Committee. The accusation against both is that they committed unethical violations as both have/had conflict of interest issues which influenced their decisions with respect to the Amaila Falls project, the Marriott Hotel project and the Specialty Hospital project.”

He added, “As is the case with all motions that are received, I handed them ‎to the Clerk for his input and advice regarding the decision I have to make as to whether or not to refer the matters to the Privileges Committee… When I have received the advice of the Clerk on both matters I will consider it in totality and make my decision accordingly.”

Rohee stated that Ramjattan had voted in favour of the Specialty Hospital in 2012, at which point he was the legal representative for one of the companies bidding, Fedders Lloyd. However, in 2013, when that company was no longer affiliated with the project, Ramjattan voted down the budget.

“Ramjattan did not publicly declare his pecuniary interest at either time… in Violation of Standing Order 107,” Rohee said.

He quoted the Standing Order: “No member shall appear before the Assembly or Committee thereof as Counsel or Solicitor for any party in a capacity for which he or she is to receive a fee or reward.”

He also said Ramjattan was obligated to disclose of his party’s “pecuniary interest” in stopping the Marriot project, while noting that a chief financier of the AFC is Robert Badal, the owner of the Pegasus Hotel, which would face direct competition as a result of the new hotel project.

In relation to Hughes, Rohee noted that her company was hired to handle the public relations for Sithe Global, one of the companies working with the government on the Amaila Falls Hydropower project. “Her husband Mr Nigel Hughes was the Company Secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project,” he further pointed out.

He argued that given her involvement, Cathy Hughes should have recused herself when two matters related to the project, the Hydro Electric Power (Amendment) Bill and a motion to raise the country’s debt ceiling, were considered by the National Assembly.

Rohee avoided questions as to why, given that Hughes involvement in Sithe Global had long been made public and considering the government would have been privy to that information from the inception, the PPP was only now moving forward with a motion to send her to the Privileges Committee.

He suggested that the government would not have known of the Hughes’ involvement because of the confidentiality of the bids. However, with both Hughes’ involvement with Sithe Global made public almost a year ago, he could not explain why the party has chosen now to move against the parliamentarian.

President Donald Ramotar on Saturday called Trotman’s actions unprofessional in sending Singh to the Privileges Committee. “I found the ruling rather strange,” Ramotar said, during a news conference at State House.

He also said that he had not heard the Speaker say anything about the PPP’s request to have Ramjattan and Hughes referred to the Privileges Committee, alluding to the letters sent by Teixeira earlier in the week.

Asked to comment, Trotman told Stabroek News that he found the President’s remarks “to be reckless ‎and unprofessional in themselves as it is a dangerous precedent for the head of one branch of the state, the Executive, to openly criticise the head of another, the Legislature. It’s just not done.”

Troman noted, “Imagine what would happen if the President, Chancellor of the Judiciary and Speaker of the National Assembly openly began to criticise each other’s work.

The credibility and legitimacy of the state would be eroded and anarchy would result in short order.”

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Guyanese must stand with Nagamootoo on the No Confidence vote

July 28, 2014 | By | Filed Under Letters 

Dear Editor, In Guyana, when the history of true patriotism is written, Moses Nagamootoo’s name will be listed among those who served his country with honour, dignity, firmness and passion. He is judicious in his deliberations, original in his thinking and has a thirst for helping the poor and the powerless. The same cannot be said about the current crop of leaders in the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal. The Freedom House dinosaurs are stuck in the politics of the 1950s and 1960s with no vision for the economic development of the country or to create employment for the youths. This is very unlike Moses Nagamootoo, who in the latter days of his political career has called for political cooperation among the parties, an end to racial politics, corruption, cronyism and nepotism and fairness in the distribution of the country’s resources. Instead, the visionless PPP cabal’s sole goal is to use the state resources to enrich themselves, relatives and friends. Clearly, they envisage a Guyana based on the division of the two major races and that power belongs to them only. This unrighteous and uncaring cabal believes that they should rule Guyana indefinitely. How else does one explain the minority PPP regime’s flagrant abuse of power as practiced by the sleazy Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, who spent $4.8 billion that was not approved by Parliament or without consulting with the opposition? They have shown contempt for the people and Parliament, selective in their use of the Constitution and have refused to acknowledge the judgment handed down by the Court as to how the taxpayers’ money should be spent. This is why the people must applaud and stand resolutely with Mr. Nagamootoo on his promise to bring a “No Confidence Motion” in Parliament against this regime. No doubt, given his past association with the leaders in the PPP, Moses Nagamootoo understands how they function and operate and the wicked things they do and why they do it. But as someone who has the country’s interest at heart and has fought tirelessly and relentlessly for the poor and the powerless, Nagamootoo believes that for a democracy such as ours to function properly, there must be respect for the people and the constitution, an end to corruption, the need for peace, order and good governance, promotion of the people’s interests and the profound desire to put the country first. Moses Nagamootoo strongly believes that no individual or group, acting selfishly, should hold all citizens to ransom. For example, if garbage collectors decide to shut down the country because of a perceived grievance, everyone will all suffer. The same would occur if doctors, teachers, police officers and nurses take the same decision. That is a recipe for chaos but the PPP cabal continues to hold the nation at ransom. However, they should put in their thick skulls that they were elected by the people to act on the people’s behalf and not on behalf of their greedy relatives and selfish rich friends. This iconic Guyanese statesman and nationalist has stated publicly that the visionless ruling oligarchy has not only brought Guyana to its knees but has also turned the country into a failed and highly corrupt state. He called on all Guyanese to put country first and decide whether they want a Guyana with a thriving economy where people can enjoy the comforts of life, obtain gainful employment and bring up their children in a wholesome and intellectually enriching environment. He has constantly encouraged the people to never surrender to the visionless ruling cabal who have no idea of what it takes to run a country successfully, and who do not have a plan to advance the economy and create employment, or could not care less if the country collapses. Asquith Rose and Harish Singh

Mitwah

But mits the world can call to stand with Moses. The problem is the AFC is again faced with a situation where poor decisions and a lack of leadership is coming back to bite them in the ass.

 

FM
Originally Posted by HM_Redux:

PPP seeking to bring Ramjattan, Hughes before Privileges Committee

Posted By Staff Writer On July 29, 2014 @ 5:24 am In Local News | No Comments

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is preparing to move motions seeking the referral of the Alliance for Change (AFC) parliamentarians Khemraj Ramjattan and Catherine Hughes to the Privileges Committee.

The sudden move comes in wake of Speaker of the House Raphael Trotman’s ruling to have Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh sent to the committee, based on a motion by APNU member Carl Greenidge and seconded by Ramjattan, over the minister’s spending of $4.5 billion without the approval of the National Assembly.

At the PPP’s weekly press briefing yesterday, General Secretary Clement Rohee said the party was awaiting a response from the Speaker in relation to a letter sent indicating its intention to bring the two motions via the party’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira.

In an invited comment, Trotman said, “Last week I saw for the first time two letters that were styled as Motions [both are in the name of Teixeira] seeking to have the Honourable Members Khemraj Ramjattan and Catherine Hughes referred to the Privileges Committee. The accusation against both is that they committed unethical violations as both have/had conflict of interest issues which influenced their decisions with respect to the Amaila Falls project, the Marriott Hotel project and the Specialty Hospital project.”

He added, “As is the case with all motions that are received, I handed them ‎to the Clerk for his input and advice regarding the decision I have to make as to whether or not to refer the matters to the Privileges Committee… When I have received the advice of the Clerk on both matters I will consider it in totality and make my decision accordingly.”

Rohee stated that Ramjattan had voted in favour of the Specialty Hospital in 2012, at which point he was the legal representative for one of the companies bidding, Fedders Lloyd. However, in 2013, when that company was no longer affiliated with the project, Ramjattan voted down the budget.

“Ramjattan did not publicly declare his pecuniary interest at either time… in Violation of Standing Order 107,” Rohee said.

He quoted the Standing Order: “No member shall appear before the Assembly or Committee thereof as Counsel or Solicitor for any party in a capacity for which he or she is to receive a fee or reward.”

He also said Ramjattan was obligated to disclose of his party’s “pecuniary interest” in stopping the Marriot project, while noting that a chief financier of the AFC is Robert Badal, the owner of the Pegasus Hotel, which would face direct competition as a result of the new hotel project.

In relation to Hughes, Rohee noted that her company was hired to handle the public relations for Sithe Global, one of the companies working with the government on the Amaila Falls Hydropower project. “Her husband Mr Nigel Hughes was the Company Secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project,” he further pointed out.

He argued that given her involvement, Cathy Hughes should have recused herself when two matters related to the project, the Hydro Electric Power (Amendment) Bill and a motion to raise the country’s debt ceiling, were considered by the National Assembly.

Rohee avoided questions as to why, given that Hughes involvement in Sithe Global had long been made public and considering the government would have been privy to that information from the inception, the PPP was only now moving forward with a motion to send her to the Privileges Committee.

He suggested that the government would not have known of the Hughes’ involvement because of the confidentiality of the bids. However, with both Hughes’ involvement with Sithe Global made public almost a year ago, he could not explain why the party has chosen now to move against the parliamentarian.

President Donald Ramotar on Saturday called Trotman’s actions unprofessional in sending Singh to the Privileges Committee. “I found the ruling rather strange,” Ramotar said, during a news conference at State House.

He also said that he had not heard the Speaker say anything about the PPP’s request to have Ramjattan and Hughes referred to the Privileges Committee, alluding to the letters sent by Teixeira earlier in the week.

Asked to comment, Trotman told Stabroek News that he found the President’s remarks “to be reckless ‎and unprofessional in themselves as it is a dangerous precedent for the head of one branch of the state, the Executive, to openly criticise the head of another, the Legislature. It’s just not done.”

Troman noted, “Imagine what would happen if the President, Chancellor of the Judiciary and Speaker of the National Assembly openly began to criticise each other’s work.

The credibility and legitimacy of the state would be eroded and anarchy would result in short order.”

You guys are looking a gift horse in the mouth. With all the clamor for change and for making a difference you are like childish mentally attrive runts.

 

Ramotar was on OMAI board for 20 years! And who were omai lawyers against the class action suit that left out people at the mercy of the worlds largest cyanide sill?

 

Again, the AFC by its presence has made it possible for asking for accountability. Yet you *******s are here jeering and acting like clowns with stupid topics without consoling yourselves that for the first time the nations political elites are being dragged forth to be accountable.

 

In 20 years the PPP could not, would not but facilitated the intermingling of government business and personal business pursuits. For the first time we are on our bellies crawling to some modicum of a accountability for the first time. Quit the ***.king jeering and start cheering because every one of the political elites in Guyana still see the state at their prize. Every place you look politics is seen as a means to become rich and not as service.

FM

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