Rohee challenges anyone to prove former President Jagdeo corrupt
GENERAL-SECRETARY of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Mr Clement Rohee, has dismissed a speculative line of questioning from Kaieteur News Editor Adam Harris that former President Bharrat Jagdeo acquired his assets through corrupt practices.Harris posed questions on the matter at the ruling party’s weekly press conference held at Freedom House on Robb Street yesterday; and Rohee challenged Harris to publish information to support his claims that the former president had enriched himself through corruption.
Rohee said: “If you want to say that Jagdeo built that house as a result of corruption, theft, or whatever the case may be, you say that; I will not agree. I will never agree that Jagdeo stole money, Jagdeo engaged in corrupt practices where he siphoned off money from the Government to build that house. I will never agree to that! If there is anyone who has evidence, bring the evidence.”
Rohee noted that the “baseless” ‘rags to riches’ theory being peddled has tarnished the reputation not only of the former President, but of other members of the party as well; and he justified his reasoning by adding that when Jagdeo had returned from Moscow, he secured a job at the State Planning Secretariat, and soon after, became Junior Finance Minister when the PPP came into power in 1992.
“He was still a bachelor, he wasn’t married. He was still living with his parents. I don’t know how much money he was earning, but I assume he was saving money. I assume that he had some savings” Rohee declared.
Rohee challenged anyone, especially Kaieteur News, who thinks he/she has information on the former president enriching himself through corrupt practices, to present that evidence in the public domain.
Rohee deemed the accusation contrary to the fact that many honest and hardworking Guyanese elevate themselves with time.
“If people could do that and save now, how come Jagdeo couldn’t do that? Because he was Jagdeo?” Rohee questioned.
By Ravin Singh