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FM
Former Member
AFC denies Chronicle report on Canadian businessman

Written by Kwesi Isles
Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:32
Source

The Alliance for Change (AFC) has denied a Guyana Chronicle report that controversial Canada-based Guyanese businessman David Singh is hosting a fund raiser for the party in Toronto but adds that his input to the party would be welcomed.

Singh had run afoul of the Canadian authorities in 2010 with the Canada Revenue Agency revoking the registration of two charities it says were operated for his private gain as reported by the Toronto Star the same year.

The state-owned Guyana Chronicle on Sunday reported Singh as being a “convicted” fraudster and that he was reportedly one of the main organisers of an upcoming fund raiser. It also quoted the 2010 Toronto Star report.

On Wednesday AFC Leader Raphael Trotman said the party’s Toronto Chapter is holding an event and they would have no problem with Singh’s patronage.

“When last I checked he was not a member of the party. He has expressed views supporting anything that changes the PPP/Civic government and if it’s the AFC he prepared to support us but he’s not a supporter of the PPP I can tell you that,” Trotman stated.

The AFC which has held itself out as a beacon of integrity would have no problem with overtures from Singh, he added.

“As far as I know he’s not a criminal; he did have a run in some years ago with the Securities Commission which matter had been dealt with and is over with. He’s functioning and is not incarcerated and is not being prevented from travelling like others are and being taken off planes,” Trotman said.

“If it is that he had a problem and he’s made right with the authorities over there and he’s a Guyanese who wants to help us who are we to do (otherwise).”

Trotman’s mention of planes was a reference to the Ed Ahmad story in which the US-based Guyanese businessman was taken off a plane bound for Guyana by the US authorities and subsequently indicted in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme.

He faces a maximum of 30 years imprisonment if convicted.

Ahmad had been a friend of President Bharrat Jagdeo for years and had been introduced to the governing PPP by the AFC’s presidential candidate Khemraj Ramjattan years ago while he was still with that party.

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That is Raphael Trotman version
and this is Chronicle version:

WHICH ONE HAS THE FACTS AND WHICH ONE IS DECEIVING


Fraudster to host AFC fundraiser in Toronto



Written by Daniel Singh



Sunday, 25 September 2011 05:45



CONVICTED Canadian-based Guyanese fraudster, Mr. David Singh is reported to be one of the main organizers of an upcoming fundraising event to be held in Toronto for the Alliance For Change (AFC) party.

Reliable sources in Canada yesterday indicated to the Chronicle that Singh has been circulating flyers and oganising the proposed fundraiser to be held shortly ahead of elections constitutionally due here before year-end.

According to an article in the Canadian daily, Toronto Star, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has revoked the registration of two charities it says were operated for Singh’s private gain.

The move to shut down charities promoted as tax shelters comes more than three years after the Toronto Star reported on Singh’s involvement and his controversial donation-for-profit strategies.

Destiny Health & Wellness Foundation and Liberty Wellness Initiative of Markham, Canada issued a total of Cdn$131M in charitable tax receipts in 2005 and 2006, according to the CRA.
But only a small portion of that amount was collected from public donations, and much of that went towards paying sales agents and companies Singh headed or owned, the Toronto Star reported.
Singh had earlier come to prominence in Canada as founder of the former 700-agent mutual fund organization, Fortune Financial Corp. and Infinity Mutual Funds Management Inc.
He sold those companies in 2000 after being disciplined three times by the Ontario Securities Commission.
Now the charismatic Guyana native says he operates pay-day-loan and money transfer companies, while working to raise funds for a medical school in St. Lucia.
“I made very little money (promoting the charities and tax shelters),” Singh insisted. “It was nothing but pain. Most of the money (40 per cent) went to pay agents’ fees,” the Toronto Star quoted him as saying.
But Cathy Hawara, director-general of the charities directorate in Canada, referred in a March 2010 letter to “collusive contractual arrangements with directors and related parties who are themselves promoting the tax shelter programmes.”
“These arrangements,” she is quoted as saying in the missive, “have resulted in substantially all of the actual cash received being diverted into the hands of the promoters and related companies rather than used for charitable purposes.”
Destiny “has been established and operated for the private gain of Mr. David Singh,” another official alleges in a letter to Singh.
Singh, the official is quoted as saying, “in his capacity as president of the tax shelter promoters, president of each participating charity, and shareholder of all four corporations involved in the tax shelter, as well as the involvement of his family members, puts himself in a position to direct the movement of funds received from participant donors between and into his corporate entities within and outside Canada.”
Destiny issued a tax receipt for $10,000 for each $2,500 a ‘donor’ would provide as a security deposit for a loan. It was claimed that the loan was to be paid from investment returns over 10 years. Sales commissions and other fees were deducted from the security deposit.
Law professor Daniel Sandler commented after quickly reading the Destiny material in late 2006 that the scheme should have raised red flags for donors.
“It becomes an interesting question how $2,500 invested in whatever form of investment . . . is going to generate sufficient returns,” Sandler said, adding that regardless, “you are definitely going to be reassessed; I say that with almost 100 per cent certainty.”
Singh said participants have indeed had their tax credits denied, but are challenging the denials. He would not name the lawyers hired to defend participants
FM
This has to be the story B'gurd was speaking about.

I never saw this article before and do not condone the man's actions if in fact he is or was proven guilty.
He would be a fool to try something like this but as one of the PPP guys said (the wording might not be accurate but the gist is there)in a previous thread about another fraudster, "the man did some clever accounting" but as much as what he's done is considered illegal, who was hurt in this process?
Did anyone lose their homes?
Who's money was used?
Who was hurt financially?
cain
quote:

The AFC which has held itself out as a beacon of integrity would have no problem with overtures from Singh, he added.

“If it is that he had a problem and he’s made right with the authorities over there and he’s a Guyanese who wants to help us who are we to do (otherwise).”

AFC Leader Raphael Trotman


An organisation which is a beacon of integrity should have extremely effective means to be at a level beyond reproach.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Demerara_Guy:
quote:

The AFC which has held itself out as a beacon of integrity would have no problem with overtures from Singh, he added.

“If it is that he had a problem and he’s made right with the authorities over there and he’s a Guyanese who wants to help us who are we to do (otherwise).”

AFC Leader Raphael Trotman


An organisation which is a beacon of integrity should have extremely effective means to be at a level beyond reproach.


DG we should hold our PPP leaders accountable first then worry about others. Nah pelt brick if you live in glass house rass.
J

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