Jagdeo says “Greenidge has a lot to answer for”

– must explain acquisition of multimillion-dollar Bel Air house

Former President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo has lashed out at former Finance Minister under the People’s National Congress (PNC) and shadow Finance Minister of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Carl Greenidge for his “less than transparent track record in office.”
Speaking at a press conference at Freedom House on Saturday, Jagdeo told media operatives that Greenidge and his party would consistently harp about the existence of mass corruption in the current Government but has never addressed, in the public domain, the means by which he had acquired a house at Bel Air Gardens which he termed “the best area in the city” for some four million Guyana dollars based on a Transport dated January 25, 1993, months after he had long ceased to be the Finance Minister since the PPP had already taken over Government.

Copy of the purchaser’s affidavit of the Lot 45 Bel-Air property that was aquired by Carl Greenidge

Providing and displaying a copy of the Transport, Jagdeo noted that it was amazing that Greenidge can consistently talk about unsubstantiated allegations of corruption against President Donald Ramotar, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and himself over the past years but cannot justify nor speak of his acquisition of the property from the Guyana Stores Limited (GSL). “I am not just making an allegation. I am producing evidence of it.”
According to Jagdeo, history has shown that Greenidge is the most unaccountable Finance Minister in the country since accounts were never produced for the country during his tenure with him even prohibiting then Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran from auditing his financial records.

To add to his argument, he recalled the state of Guyana’s economy when the PPP/C took office after the 1992 elections pointing out that everything was in a state of falling apart.
“He said he made some changes in processes that allowed the PPP to start producing the accounts from 1992 but that changes that he made could not have been implemented before…You would believe that he left us a wonderful economy the way Carl Greenidge and the others speak about it,” Jagdeo said.
The former President called on leader of the Opposition and Presidential Candidate for APNU+AFC coalition, David Granger to first address Greenidge’s acquisition of his house before accusing Government officials and Ministers of corruption, which he could not even provide evidence of.
He pointed out that while it was not his wish to rehash the past of anyone, Greenidge was again running for the post of Finance Minister and as such, ought to explain the acquisition noting that “you can’t run from your record.”

“Granger talks about investigating corruption, maybe he should start with this so here is actual basis, I am not just making an allegation. I am giving you a document. I would love if they do the same when they make allegations of corruption about us. If you are coming to the people and asking for their votes then you can’t run from your record.”
Meanwhile, the President defended the record of current Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh noting that he was nothing like Greenidge. He pointed out that Dr Singh has been trying his best to perform his duties as he is mandated to do, but the Opposition was too trying to sabotage his efforts by launching a ‘vicious campaign’ against him.
“I think Ashni Singh is a bright young man… I think he has done a great job as Minister of Finance and I think that he has been the subject of a vicious campaign by several persons because they can’t get their way of shutting down the country because effectively what they would have done is shutdown the country,” Dr Jagdeo told members of the media corp.

In continuing his defence of the Finance Minister, Jagdeo related that the court actions which the Opposition has brought against the Minister was an attempt to ruin his track record and his reputation pointing out that they wanted him to be seen as ‘thief.’ “They made it look like Ashni Singh stole the money but there is no criminal liability of anything of that sort….they have made it look like if Ashni Singh is a thief and he is not.”