Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton yesterday submitted a motion to the Clerk of the National Assembly calling for an international investigation into the “alleged corrupt practices involving Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.”
The motion was filed in relation to the VICE News’ docu-series where Jagdeo’s former tenant Su Zhirong made a series of allegations against him. President Irfaan Ali has so far refuse-d to ask Jagdeo to step down to facilitate an investigation into the allegations, instead, he cast aspersions on the VICE News reporter Isobel Yeung’s motive behind the reports.
Yesterday, Norton accompanied by the Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan and a number of other APNU+AFC parliamentarians hand-delivered the motion to Clerk Sherlock Isaacs. They also submitted a request for an adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance.
The request, addressed to Speaker Manzoor Nadir, reminded of the two VICE News reports with allegations against Jagdeo.
Norton submitted “…the revelations made by VICE News are damning and speak directly to the increasing levels of corruption in our society and its negative impact on the lives of the people of Guyana and therefore certainly qualify to be dealt with under the Standing Order as a matter of definite, urgent and of public importance.
“In the circumstance, I am making a request for permission to move the adjournment under Standing Orders No. 12 of the National Assembly.”
Standing Order 12 of the National Assembly speaks about definite matters of urgent public importance. It states that any duly appointed member can move for the adjournment of the Assembly for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance.
It adds “A Member who wishes so to ask leave to move the adjournment of the Assembly shall, before the commencement of the Sitting, hand to the Speaker a written notification of the matter which he or she wishes to discuss. The Speaker shall refuse to allow the claim unless he or she is satisfied that the matter is definite, urgent and of public importance and may properly be raised on a motion for the adjournment of the Assembly.”
The National Assembly is slated to convene at 10 am today and is designated ‘Private Members Day’ meaning it is a sitting dedicated to dealing with issues brought by the Opposition.
…motion
Norton’s motion, which was seconded by Ramjattan, argued that if the allegations are proven to be true then Jagdeo’s alleged actions would have violated the constitution. It further argued that Guyanese have repeatedly called on President Ali to dismiss Jagdeo to facilitate an impartial investigation into the allegations.
“…the main opposition political parties, the People’s National Congress Reform and the Alliance For Change have also called on the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to convene an independent and impartial investigation into these allegations. AND WHEREAS, Guyana is a signatory to the UN Convention on Corruption and the Government of Guyana is obligated to honour its commitment to the said Convention.
“BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Assembly calls on the Government to take immediate action to ensure an independent, credible and impartial investigation by international investigators into the allegations of bribery, corruption and money laundering as revealed in the two documentaries released by VICE News involving Hon, Bharrat Jagdeo, MP and Vice President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana,” the motion states.
Clerk Isaacs, who was having lunch when the motion was delivered, told Norton and the other MPs that the document will be transmitted to Speaker Nadir who was not in his office at the time.
Speaking to reporters following the submission of the documents, Norton said that the actions of Speaker Nadir at tomorrow’s sitting would provide an opportunity for observers to see the “true nature” of the workings of the National Assembly.
“…[the] motion is aimed at dealing with the issues in `Su-Gate’, particularly as it calls for a credible international investigative team to investigate the allegations of bribery and corruption levelled against Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. May I also point out to you that Guyana is a signatory to the UN Convention on Corruption and therefore Guyana has an obligation to live by that convention, which no doubt establishes the need for action against corrupt activities,” he said.
When asked what would be the Opposition’s next move should the motion not make it through the House, Norton said they would continue to protest.
“We will also put in the public domain that we sought to use the Parliament to ensure that the law is followed and it takes its course. So if they close that door, then they themselves are creating conditions for other political actions which will have to be taken,” he said.
He also told Stabroek News that he has been engaging with the diplomatic community on the issues of corruption and mismanagement of public funds.
Meanwhile, Ramjattan said that the government is going on as if the allegations in the VICE News report are not worth investigating. He also accused President Ali of “babysitting” Jagdeo. He noted that it is important that an independent investigation be commissioned while Jagdeo steps down, like any other public servant accused of wrongdoings.
Over the past months, Jagdeo has been at the centre of corruption allegations by Su. Su, a tenant and friend of Jagdeo, is said to be a middleman and would allegedly lobby the Vice President on behalf of Chinese investors and companies. He told VICE News’ Yeung, while she was undercover, that Jagdeo was his boss and “processing fees” had to be paid to him to gain access to lucrative contracts in Guyana.
Jagdeo has vehemently denied these allegations and continues to. He has even threatened to sue Su, however, Su has seemingly left the country.
Observers have been saying that there seems to be a network of persons like Su who would act as middlemen for investors seeking to set up shop here. These middlemen would set links while drawing back hefty fees.
VICE News has released two video reports on the operations of Chinese businessmen in Guyana and their engagement in alleged corruption.
According to the VICE News report, the trail to securing any agreement begins with the notorious ‘middlemen’ and goes all the way to Guyana’s Vice President, Jagdeo. Su advertised himself as the middleman with access to Jagdeo and that was proven in both video reports.
VICE News engaged Su while Yeung was undercover with a fake potential investor ‘Mr Chan’. Su whose rented home is next door to Jagdeo’s in Pradoville 2, took a VICE News undercover `businessman’ who went by the name of Mr Chan to meet the Vice President.
According to VICE, the act was done to prove to the undercover potential Chinese businessman that “he (Su) has access at the highest level”.
Yeung said that Su is not the only person that tells them that the “service fee” middlemen like Su take for bribes are huge amounts, as they show another interview with a man said to be the General Manager of one of China’s largest construction firms. “The middlemen play a crucial role. With just one word they can get something done,” the General Manager says in Mandarin.
The latest report, released earlier this month, showed footage of a Chinese national confessing to being a money launderer and admitting to paying bribes to government officials in exchange for lucrative contracts.
Ali has since said that he supports an investigation into the money laundering confession.
