Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn says he is “surprised” at statements by Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) head, William Woolford about there being no evidence of widespread corruption in the field and called for “an urgent review” of the agency’s leadership.
Benn – a former GGMC commissioner, however, did not say that there was widespread corruption and only said that there are “continuing issues”. President Bharrat Jagdeo, addressing the annual officers’ conference of the Guyana Defence Force on Tuesday, told the officers that there is need for some of them in the state agencies and he singled out the GGMC. “I need some soldiers in there. The corruption in the field is unbelievable, particularly with the price of gold where it is and I need to clean up some of this situation there too”, Jagdeo had said.
“Unfortunately we don’t have the evidence of that at the moment and we’re prepared to act on any of the evidence presented”, Woolford had told Stabroek News in an interview where several of the agency’s department heads were also present. He had