Guyana stands by TT’s Consul General embroiled in witness tampering scandal

Guyana is standing by its Honorary Consul General to

Trinidad, Ernie Ross, who was embroiled in a spat of words with recently sacked Minister of Natural Security, Gary Griffith.
In one of her major shakeups of the Trinidad and Tobago’s Government ahead of elections, Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, this week sacked her Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan; and Griffith. She has also called for the resignation of the Director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) David West, for their roles in the witness-tampering investigation ordered by Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams.
Ross, Trinidad’s United National Congress (UNC) campaign and advertising manager, reportedly denied trying to influence Griffith to change his story in the ongoing probe into the West and Ramlogan saga.
Speaking to the Express on Monday, Ross said it was not his place to influence Griffith’s decision to be a witness in West’s case, in which he (West) alleges that ex-attorney general Ramlogan had asked him to withdraw his statement in the defamation case against Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley in exchange for the post of Police Complaints Authority (PCA) director.
“You ask me if I had spoken to Mr Griffith and convinced him to change his story…Absolutely not, that is not my role,” Ross said emphatically in a Trinidad Express report.
The Express report said that the number of players embroiled in the Ramlogan vs West saga is growing daily.
It has descended into a very public spat between Minister of Communications Vasant Bharath and Griffith.
In the latest twist, it is alleged a meeting took place between Griffith, his wife Nicole Dyer-Griffith, Bharath and Ross.
Ross would neither confirm nor deny the meeting took place last Thursday at his St. Clair office.
Instead, he said he has placed the matter in the hands of his Attorneys who are reviewing the matter and would be addressing it very soon.
Yesterday, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Ross has provided a complete background to the situation and “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reposes its confidence in the statement made by him and in his continued ability to responsibly carry out his duties on behalf of the Government of Guyana.”
In addition to holding the unpaid position as Guyana’s Honorary Consul General to Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain, Ross is also head of the advertising firm, Ross Advertising, the Ministry said.
“As Honorary Consul General, Mr. Ross is permitted to function in other capacities.”
Ross is known in Guyana for reportedly buying the Pradoville One home of former President Bharrat Jagdeo for US$600,000.
Ross has reportedly been hired in the past to do campaign advertising work for the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic