AG raps Ramjattan for ‘unsubstantiated and reckless’ allegations
– Says Finance Minister acted in ‘absolute’ compliance with laws
ATTORNEY-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, yesterday, took the Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, to task for “unsubstantiated and reckless” allegations.
Dr Ashni Singh,
Minister of Finance
The AG’s response follows the publication of an article in the Kaieteur News, on Monday, under the headline ‘Illegally’ spent $4.5B…Govt. interfering in police’s investigation of Ashni Singh’.
According to Nandlall, the AFC Leader has no evidence to support his allegations; he also charged that had he legitimate grounds for his comments, he would have indicated as such.
“Mr. Ramjattan has, once again, characteristically failed to provide a scintilla of evidence to support his wild allegations that Government has interfered, or is interfering, with a report filed with the Guyana Police Force,” Nandlall said, adding, “One expects that Mr. Ramjattan would have named the Government functionary who is guilty of this alleged interference or he would have identified a person or persons in the Police Force whose work was the subject of this alleged interference.”
The AG stressed that no such information was disclosed.
ACTED IN COMPLIANCE
Nandlall highlighted that the Finance Minister acted in “absolute” compliance with the law when he restored the controversial $4.6B of monies cut from the 2014 national budget.
“I maintain most resolutely that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, acted in absolute compliance with the relevant constitutional provisions as interpreted by the Honourable Chief Justice in a written ruling issued on January 29th 2014 and that at all times he acted upon the directions of the Cabinet, chaired by His Excellency, the President,” he said.
The AG added that it is interesting to note that the exact action that is being challenged by the Opposition presently, were taken in 2012 and 2013.
‘Mr. Ramjattan has, once again, characteristically failed to provide a scintilla of evidence to support his wild allegations’ – AG Anil Nandlall
“These very actions were supported by Mr. Ramjattan in the National Assembly and the Hansard will easily so confirm. Perhaps it is of even greater significance that I point out that these restorations of budget cuts by the Finance Minister took place while the case was being argued before the Chief Justice. Not once during those arguments or even in the press did Mr. Ramjattan or any member of the Opposition, for that matter, made any contention that the criminal law was violated,” Nandlall said.
INEXPLICABLE SLUMBER
He questioned whether it is that the Opposition has awakened from some “inexplicable” slumber.
The AG said, “Mr. Ramjattan now expects the Police to investigate an alleged crime that he himself took two years to realise is a “crime” and moreover, which he voted in support of, in the most premier law-making institution of the land.
“Before making these inane assertions, Mr. Ramjattan should really consider the real possibility that the Police may not be able to investigate that which does not exist. He may be familiar with the Latin Maxim ex nihil nihilo fit- ‘out of nothing cometh nothing’.”
Nandlall contends that that modus operandai of the Opposition is plain. “So long a process does not yield the result which is consistent with their expectations and political agenda, they denigrate the process and they subject those engaged in the process to vile and vulgar verbal assaults,” he said.
To support this contention, he highlighted that:
* The Linden Commission of Enquiry did not meet their expectations and political agenda; they condemned the Commission and criticised the Commissioners;
* The Chief Justice did not rule in their favour; they attacked the independence of the Judiciary and “cuss out” the Judges; and
* The Walter Rodney COI is causing some of them political discomfort; they denigrate the inquiry and condemn the Commissioners.
“Now that the Police investigations do not satisfy Mr. Ramjattan’s whims and fancies; he abuses the investigators and attacks the investigation process. Unfortunately, an irresponsible press offers coverage,” he concluded.
Source - http://guyanachronicle.com/ag-...eckless-allegations/
