Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran is urging President Irfaan Ali to set up a Commission of Inquiry to examine explosive allegations of bribery and money laundering contained in two VICE News reports on Chinese businessmen operating here and their alleged contacts with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
In his accountability column in today’s Stabroek News, Goolsarran noted that there had been further revelations by VICE News of alleged Chinese involvement in money laundering activities, the use of intermediaries and the paying of bribes to secure government contracts, especially in relation to large infrastructure developmental works being undertaken. Since then, Goolsarran noted that there has been a public outcry for an investigation to be carried out to determine the truth or otherwise of the allegations. He noted that President Ali responded by stating that the law enforcement and security agencies are expected to carry out their investigations.
“Considering: (i) the scale of the alleged money laundering activities; (ii) lack of capacity of these and other watchdog agencies and their reporting relationships; and (iii) their less-than-impressive track record in dealing condignly with issues relating to corruption in government, the President should instead appoint a Commission of Inquiry to look into the allegations. Depending on the outcome of the inquiry, an internationally recognized investigative agency, selected with the assistance of the United Nations, should be hired to undertake the assignment”, Goolsarran asserted.
The two VICE News broadcasts have roiled the country and raised questions about the conduct of Chinese middlemen. Jagdeo was enmeshed in the allegations when the US-based VICE News sent an undercover businessman into his house with a hidden camera. Jagdeo has said that nothing in the hidden camera recording implicated him but he has threatened to sue the middleman Su Zhirong who had been heard in both segments of the VICE programme as stating that money goes to Jagdeo, an allegation that Jagdeo has vehemently denied.
There have been widespread views that the programmes could hurt Guyana and its image.
Writing in yesterday’s Sunday Stabroek, career diplomat Neville J. Bissember said: “The smoking gun that is the VICE News story has left a foul odour lingering in the air, and could have a negative impact on potential investors. The administration needs therefore to find the right mix of cleansing agents to correct the situation and restore investor confidence wherever this may have been dislocated”.
On Friday, in comments at a press conference, Alliance For Change leader Khemraj Ramjattan was scathing in his criticism of Jagdeo.
Reacting to a Stabroek News report where Jagdeo said that he was in favour of a probe of the allegations, Ramjattan said: “The AFC notes a perverse bare-facedness about Jagdeo’s support for a probe. What else could he say? This is the presumptuous and cavalier answer he …would respond with. But it is the manner with which he shrugs it off. It does not bear down profoundly on him that wrong was done, even if by having the people at his home. He deems it to be just fine. An ethical public figure will have offered some modicum of apology to the Guyanese people. But no, just arrogance and invincibility!”
As presently advised, Ramjattan said that the AFC will not be comfortable with a probe that is conducted by the Police knowing how they performed in the recent Quindon Bacchus matter, and for a number of other reasons.
He said that the AFC believes that since the World Bank has an investigative arm and has serious people who know how to investigate corruption, President Ali should call on the World Bank to probe this matter.
“It will save the country monies, too, for a costly commission of inquiry and a certainly questioned report which will be found unacceptable by half the population. If the President does not want the World Bank to investigate, then the alternative route the AFC will want is an international, reputable set of commissioners”, Ramjattan said.
On the question whether Jagdeo remains in office while the probe is being conducted, Ramjattan said: “Absolutely not! What is good for the goose must be good for the gander. If it was any other person who were to be probed like this, that person would have been interdicted from office, he had to move out from that office or position. It is also the politically correct thing, or ethical thing to do”.
On the question of Ali, as reported by Stabroek News, going only after investors who utilise middlemen, Ramjattan said that the AFC sees this as avoidance and evasion of the main issue.
While Ali, Jagdeo and Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn have signalled that the VICE News claims will be probed, there has been no statement on who will be investigating or when this will begin. There is also no word on the whereabouts of Su who would be the key figure in any investigation.
The country first became aware of Su’s allegation of bribery when Jagdeo published the interview done by VICE with him on February 1st on his Facebook page on February 7th.
On June 19, VICE published a 16-minute programme, `Guyana For Sale’ and followed this up with an expanded version on July 7th.
