Source : http://citizensreportgy.com/?p=5153
–Jagdeo decries unprecedented levels of corruption under Coalition
Corruption has been made an “institutional endeavour” under the APNU+AFC Coalition, with a “mad scramble” by government ministers to accumulate “as much as they can” before the 2020 General and Regional Elections. This was the view proffered by Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo today (May 31, 2018) at his weekly news conference at his Church Street office.
And he charged that more agencies, including TIGI, should be involved in exposing the corruption that is taking place, not bending backwards to strike for a balance in comparing the former PPP/C and current governments, which does not exist.
He noted that of among the eight massive ‘kick-back schemes, which he referred to a “bribe collecting syndicates” made up of government officials, are the sale of work permits. According to him, in 2017 there were 44,700 Cubans who arrived in Guyana, only 37,000 of whom have left. The permits he noted are being sold for as much as US$1,000.
Gun licences are also being sold at exorbitant costs, $1.2M for shotgun licences and $600,000 for 6MM pistols. Licenses for security company, he disclosed, are going for millions more.
Jagdeo added that government ministers are also involved in a rental scam, where properties are rented at inflated prices, part of which goes back to the minister in question.
The establishment of front companies is another corrupt practice, with government officials using names of friends or family members to set up companies, which then benefit from massive government contracts – all of which is given out in breach of Guyana’s procurement laws.
The gold mining sector, according to him, is in chaos, with prime lands being given to parties linked to government ministers, who are ensured a return on the operations. “One day we will wake up and find out that all the lands given out are controlled by a particular Minister,” he said.
Additionally, he added, that despite the fact that certain court cases can be won by the State, settlements are inked for a price.
“We are hemorrhaging billions in revenue because of fuel smuggling,” he said too, adding that the Coalition Government is fully aware of the players involved in the racket. He noted that Guyana only recently saw the example of individuals implicated in massive fuel smuggling managing to get off with a fine of $36M, which was paid to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The boat was released and no charged were filed, whereas usual procedure would have seen a different course of action being taken. Following reports that authorities, on April 19, 2018, took control of a vessel – the Jubilee – because it was suspected to have been involved in fuel smuggling, documents linking the vessel’s operations to prominent local figures were released. Company documents for entity, SBF International Inc., names Attorney-at-Law, Roysdale Forde, Anand Sanasie and Dorwain Bess as Directors. Another document, a leaked agreement, names SBF International as the company that engaged the services of Sia Regulus, which owns the Jubilee. That agreement was signed by Forde in May 24, 2016 and one, Captain Alexander Kilmanskiy.
The misuse of state funds on the construction of homes for government minister is another sore issue. According to Jagdeo, had such an act been perpetrated under the PPP/C government, the resulting consequences would have been different. “We have one minister building four houses right now,” he said.
The Opposition Leader made clear that given the numerous breaches of financial laws, the Procurement Act, etc. – and the many underhand dealings that have been exposed, the APNU+AFC Coalition government is one of “the most corrupt” Guyana has seen.
Notably, the 2017 and 2018 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), produced by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department, are markedly different, in that “government corruption” is cited as a major source of money laundering in Volume 2 of the latest report.
