Jagdeo says ‘impartial’ probe needed into bribery claim against Charrandass Persaud

https://www.stabroeknews.com/2...charrandass-persaud/

By Staff Writer On January 19, 2019 In Guyana News |

Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said allegations made by the government that expelled APNU+AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Charrandass Persaud was bribed by the opposition to vote in favour of the December 21st no-confidence motion against the administration warrant an impartial investigation.

“You have to have an impartial investigation,” Jagdeo told a press conference on Thursday, while adding that it should be conducted by someone with an international reputation.    

Jagdeo reiterated that Persaud has maintained that he has received no bribe and “not from the PPP. I am sure about that.”

“The PPP or Jagdeo or any MP did not bribe Charrandass to vote that way. We are clear. We have conscience. I would call for an impartial investigation. An allegation has been made by the government,” he said.

He also noted Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan’s public statements, including his admission that he alerted the police about the former government MP’s enquiry about the purchase of US$1 million in gold, and said it had absolutely nothing to do with the opposition.

Ramjattan has said he received the information from Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, which led to him tipping off the police, who are investigating a report of bribery and alleged plans to move gold out of the country.

This newspaper understands that it was a number of WhatsApp messages between Persaud and a friend, Errol Ross, an employee within Allicock’s ministry, about the purchase of gold that fueled suspicions about Persaud.

The messages, seen by Stabroek News, are part of the police investigation, according to sources.

Admitting that there is a record of him enquiring about the price of gold shortly before leaving for Canada in the wake of his controversial vote for the no-confidence motion, Persaud has explained that he was acting on behalf of his clients.

“I have clients who are still looking for gold and so I was negotiating with a couple of dealers, finding out the price, what it will take if you buy it in Guyana or if they ship it and we pay for it and we receive it in Canada. That is what I was doing. So, I went to two dealers… What is wrong with making enquiries?” he recently told a forum in New York via phone.

Jagdeo said he would not want Ramjattan being the sole source of information for an investigation being done by people who are the minister’s subordinates. “How could you have from a man who wants to cling on at all cost? You have to have an impartial investigation,” he added.

He said he would deal with the results of an impartial investigation based on its merits.

Jagdeo further said that the opposition has great confidence that the High Court would uphold the validity of the motion, which was declared carried by House Speaker Dr Barton Scotland on a vote of 33 to 32 members.

A private citizen, Compton Reid, and the government have both filed legal challenges to the validity of the passage of the motion, with the former arguing that Persaud by virtue of having dual citizenship was disqualified as an MP and the latter contending that 34 votes were needed to constitute a majority of the 65-member Assembly.

Article 106 (6) of the Constitution says, “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Jagdeo pointed out that Persaud’s dual citizenship does not invalidate the proceedings of the National Assembly during the vote. “Our own constitution provides a remedy. Even if he was there illegally, it does not invalidate the proceedings that took place in the National Assembly,” he said.

He noted too that even if Persaud were disqualified by virtue of his citizenship, the PPP/C would still have won the vote on the motion since the votes of several government members would also be invalid as they too have dual citizenship. “From what I heard, we have two person on our side who I can confirm who are dual citizens. They have at least five that I know of. When you work the numbers, it still would not invalidate the no-confidence motion,” he said.