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FM
Former Member

President Ramotar tackles corruption, transparency questions

January 12, 2013 | By | Filed Under News

…releases privatisation deals between 1993-2011

- $25.6B in proceeds -$11.7B paid to Treasury



Since taking office back in December 2011 and in one of his most significant moves to address lingering questions of transparency and accusations of corruption within the government, President Donald Ramotar has released details of privatization deals done between 1993 and 2011.

President Donald Ramotar with one of the key reports on privatization deals made during the last 15 years.

 

 

 

The release of the reports comes after years of pressure on the ruling PPP/C to come clean on details. There have been questions in the National Assembly and in the media, but the answers were long in coming. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) assumed continuous power from 1992.

 

 It was following the November 2011 General and Regional Elections that Ramotar became President, immediately signaling his intentions to address the accusations of corruption that faced former and current ministers and other senior officials.

 

Speaking at his first press conference for the year, the President made it clear that the transparency issue has been a sore one for a while now. At the heart of the problems is the operations of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and its sister company, Privatisation Unit (PU). Both are state-owned agencies tasked with the management and privatisation of government assets.

 

The manner in which NICIL had sold properties had seen Government again and again coming under fire. The deals include the New GPC deal with the Sanata complex and the use of monies to fund a Marriott Hotel.

 

The release of the reports would clearly be seen as substantial and strategic move by President Ramotar to clean the image of his administration, and separate it from that of Bharrat Jagdeo government which has been tinged with corruption accusations.

 

According to President Ramotar yesterday, the reports are in depth and should “end a lot of speculations” regarding transparency.

 

Probably the most important of the report would be the “Privatisation In Tables, Phase 11-1993-2011”, prepared by Winston Brassington, Executive Secretary and Head of the Privatisation Unit.

 

Willing to talk Ramotar said that NICIL’s annual reports have been tabled in the National Assembly up to 2010, … so “all the talks of accountability…hope we can put that to rest.”

 

Government, he insisted, is prepared to engage the opposition on all the major projects. “I have said it and I will state again…We are ready to work with them on any information on any of the projects.” However, a number of the projects are still in the making and because of its commercial implications, it would not be possible to make these public. But the President said he was more than willing to engage the Opposition to make the details available. Once the deals are sealed, the details will be made public.

Three of the reports released by President Donald Ramotar yesterday.

 

 

The main report, “Privatisation in Tables”, which was recently approved by Cabinet, updates and details an earlier one issued in July 2008, entitled “Guyana’s Privatisation Program: The Institutional Framework and Results for Phase II (1993 to 2009).” According to a separate statement from the Office of the President (OP) on the release, the report details every transaction handled by the Privatisation Unit and NICIL under the Phase II privatisation programme, started in July 1993.

 

The report contains information including date advertised, date submitted to the Privatisation Board (by the PU) for consideration, date submitted to Cabinet for approval and date transaction is completed. It also includes details of the transaction – type of transaction, name of buyer, proceeds received, final destination of proceeds—whether paid to Government or NICIL or any other entity.

The report summarizes all of its transactions from 1993 to November 2012.

 

 

$25.B proceeds Of a total of $25.6B in proceeds, $11.7B was paid to the Treasury, $6.4 B was capitalized (a form of privatisation), $4.8B paid to NICIL, and $2.6B paid to other entities.

 

 “The Government noted the substantial work of NICIL, and the Privatisation Unit and the success of its stakeholder Privatisation Board, which includes members of labour, consumers, and the private sector.”

 

 Government also pointed out that there was a substantial turnaround of state-owned entities relative to the 1990s, noting that since 2004, NICIL and all of its companies, have been net contributors in terms of dividends, taxes, investment, employment, without requiring Government funding, except in the cases of electricity subsidies to consumers and NCN public programming component. “NICIL/PU has also been at the forefront of developing public-private partnerships such as the Berbice Bridge, the Marriott project, and the Amaila Falls Hydro Project. The Government notes that in addition to the above, almost $13B in dividends has been paid by NICIL to the Treasury [$2.1 B from 1991 to 2001 (11 years); and $10.6 B from 2002 to 2012 (11 years).” Office of the President also stressed that most of this information is contained in NICIL’s accounts that have been public, with up to the 2010 report being laid in Parliament most recently. “The PPP-C Government is committed to transparency and accountability and will continue to expand and publish more on its companies (led by NICIL) and its privatisation programme.”

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Already.....the Corrupt "milk and Honey Poom Poom Fellas" complaining....

 

 

Dem boys seh…Donald gun skin dem up

January 12, 2013 | By | Filed Under Dem Boys Seh, Features / Columnists, News

 

What don’t happen in a year does happen in a day. Dem boys never believe that dem woulda see de day when de government woulda put it belly pun de line and release all dem deal wha Jagdeo and Brazzy mek. Is only Donald coulda do that and that is because he done know that he ain’t got nutten to hide.

 

Dem boys seh that all dem talk bout corruption does bother de man and he know that ain’t corrupt.

Donald even seh that he wouldn’t sit at de top of any heap of corruption.

Well when he release dem deals he prepare to answer any question people might ask because he done know that all dem deals happen before he tek office.

 

But dem boys seh that even if everything above board it show that Donald is a big man and he know that people got a right to know how dem assets sell out and how much money come in. And de man gone back over ten years, from de time he party come into power.

 

 De thing is that fuh all dem years dem boys was calling pun de government to tell dem how it sell off de people property but Jagdeo and all dem kavakamites had no respect fuh people. Dem send a clear message that nobody ain’t got a right fuh ask dem anything.

 

Donald use to sit down and Freedom House and tell dem that dem wrang but dem was too big. Well Donald showing dem how de government does do business and he releasing all dem deals.

 

Dem boys gun see how much de Santa Complex sell for.

People already know and that is why dem was always talking.

Some people pay more than that fuh a house lot.

 

Dem boys now know why all of dem who wuk wid Jagdeo trying to press Donald to call snap elections.

 

 Dem want he out of de way because at de rate he going he gun expose everything to de people of Guyana.

 

 That is why dem boys love he. Talk half and wait fuh de revelation.





FM

President Ramotar has spoken......

Whatever De Poom Poom Vultures say now is unimportant.......

Patacakes Rev Al, KneeRU, Skeldon, Godey Walla, EweGee and de other Jagabats are all dishonest liars who can never be trusted....

They come here to Defend & Promote the thiefing.......which Ramotar is accepting exist in the PPP today.....

 

Ramotar do not want to go down as a Thief like Jagabat or........

  to be remembered as De Failed Short term President from Sangam on Lombard Street.

 

Although he is a Minority President......if he is going to work in the Interest of all Guyanese and clean up the Corruption in the PPP ......he deserves a full term.

 

And all dem Patacakes  like Rev Al, KneeRU, Skeldon, Godey Walla, Kwame, EweGee and de other Jagabats ....... need to stop undermining Ramotar Presidency with Lies and .....their call for Snap Elections.... give the man some space to lock up them crooks and thieves.

 

If the President is Honest.....he can Clenup all the  Corruption, Thiefing, Mis-Management, Nepotism, Crime, Drugs and Smuggleing in the PPP today.......that was Cultivated by the thiefing and Dishonest Jagabat Homen since 1997.

 

Nagamootoo, Ramkarran, Ramjattan, Joey and Nadira ......

cannot ....all be wrong......

the PPP must get rid of the Jagabatties NOW.

 

The Big Power Foreign Govt who are real players in Guyana......

America, England, Canada and the European Union has delivered a clear message to Donald Ramotar.......

You have a Choice end Corruption ....... or End your Presidency.

I think Ramotar made the right choice.....and he will get full support from the AFC......this is what they have been calling for...

CLEAN UP THE MESS.....NOW.

 



FM
Last edited by Former Member

 

The Guyanese people now know that President Donald Ramotar is cut from a different cloth---he is a rare politician---he is a man of honor, uprightness, integrity, honesty and incorruptibility.

 

It is important to note that Donald was not in the executive branch when Jagdeo was President---so he did not feast on the milk and honey.

 

JAGDEO, IRFAAN ALI, ROBERT PERSAUD, CLEMENT ROHEE--AND ALL THE PPP POLITICIANS WHO LIVE IN PRADOVILLE 1 & 2--THEY ALL FEASTED ON THE MILK & HONEY---DONALD RAMOTAR DID NOT---HE IS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE

 

By ordering the release of all documents--President Ramotar is distancing himself from the greedy and money hungry Barath Jagdeo---and he is saying to the Guyanese people---I am my own man---I am no puppet---I am the leader of this country---and I will not tolerate slackness by the young hustlers in my party---right now Anil Nandalall and Ashni Singh want to replace Donald at the top---but Donald has just put a stop to their wicked dream---those 2 bastards---Anil and Ashni.

 

CONGRATS TO PRESIDENT RAMOTAR--HE IS A MAN OF HONESTY & INCORRUPTIBILITY.

 

Rev

 

PS. Jalil bhai--what kind of long a$$ title you have for this thread---guess you are pleased with the Don.lol

FM

PRESIDENT PUTS FORTH CHALLENGE TO AFC/PNC

 

Government, he(President Ramotar) insisted, is prepared to engage the opposition on all the major projects. “I have said it and I will state again…We are ready to work with them on any information on any of the projects.” However, a number of the projects are still in the making and because of its commercial implications, it would not be possible to make these public. But the President said he was more than willing to engage the Opposition to make the details available. Once the deals are sealed, the details will be made public.

 

 

What says you jalil bhai ? Are you pleased with the frankness of your president ?

 

Rev

FM
Originally Posted by Rev Al:

jalil:

 

Your fellow AFC/PNC groupies will avoid this thread like the plague.lol

 

Rev


AH THINK WE SHOULD SEEK MENTAL HEALTH FOR TK. DEH BANNAS TALKIN PLENTY CRAP

Nehru

Rev.......Now yuh flip pun all dem Poom POOM Jagabats and saying the same thing.......Moses Nagamootoo, Ralph Ramkarran, Khemraj Ramjattan, Joey Jagan and Nadira Jagan....was telling Donald all along.

 

Rev.....you have to be consistent....last week you was all up in Kwamie crutch whining and enjoying his Poom Poom Tunes.....and now yuh want cuss the same people yuh been pumping and spreading yuh feet....&  lieing with.

 

Rev who Driving the Bentley now.....Anil or Ashni

 

 Lastweek yuh been enjoying she Poom Poom Cheese....now yuh cussing she......

She was a Stinker last week when yuh been kissing she....and she still is a stinker now when yuh kicking she....she did not change

Ramotar will get rid of all these Fa@@ots.

 

Like yuh aint Promoting Thiefing Milk and Honey anymore.....or this is just one of your regular opportunist flip flops.....yuh worst dan prem misir bhai.

FM
Originally Posted by Jalil:

 

Like yuh aint Promoting Thiefing Milk and Honey anymore.....


jalil:

 

The Rev has never condoned the feasting on the milk and honey by PPP politicians in the executive branch.

 

THE REV TOLD THE TRUTH---JAGDEO & HIS BOYS HAD THEIR HANDS IN THE COOKIE JAR--THEY FEASTED ON THE MILK & HONEY.

 

When the PNC was in office---PNC politicians had their hands in the cookie jar--they feasted on the milk and honey.

 

The PPP is currently feasting.

 

And if the AFC were in office they would feast on the milk and honey.

 

 

RE: PRESIDENT RAMOTAR

 

He is from the old school---he in in the Cheddi Jagan mode---upright and incorruptible.

 

Ramotar's decision to make public the documents is admirable---but dont be naive jalil---Robert Persaud, Irfaan Ali, Clement Rohee, etc, etc---they will continue to feast on the milk and honey.

 

EVERY PROJECT--EVERY DEAL THAT GETS DONE--MONEY IS PASSED UNDER THE TABLE--THAT'S A FACT!

 

Anyway, great move by the Donald---make the documents available to the public---Jagdeo and his cronies had no respect for the public---they felt they were above the law and the people.

 

Rev

 

 

FM
Originally Posted by Rev Al:

jalil:

 

Your fellow AFC/PNC groupies will avoid this thread like the plague.lol

 

Rev

Making a statement is not good enough. The President made only the first step. We are watching. 

FM
Originally Posted by Rev Al:

jalil:

 

Your fellow AFC/PNC groupies will avoid this thread like the plague.lol

 

 

Rev

 

Bhai yuh showing the dishonesty in you cant hide .......please show all of us here on GNI where or when or how I am a PNC Groupie.

 

Is people like you who would cause AFC not to trust Donald.....or support him.

 

Why you think AFC supporters will avoid this thread......because finally them mek Donald yield to the AFC Pressure.

 

De piece of $hit Kneeru that Fasten up yuh ass must be praying to disconnect and falloff because this kind of politices too advanced fuh dem $hitheads, thiefman, Vultures and Pimps.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by TK:
 
Making a statement is not good enough. The President made only the first step. We are watching. 


jalil is one of the most ardent AFC/Moses supporter on this forum and he is also one of the harshest critics of the PPP---jalil bhai has praised the President's move.

 

No question--state assets were sold off cheaply--Jagdeo's cronies benefitted immensely.

 

RAMOTAR IS NOW DISTANCING HIMSELF FROM THE POMPOUS, AUTOCRATIC, IMPERIOUS AND CORRUPT BARATH JAGDEO---THIS WILL PLEASE THE GUYANESE PEOPLE.

 

Rev

 

 

FM

WILL HISTORY JUDGE MR. JAGDEO AS A CROOK ?

 

http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....r-jagdeo-as-a-crook/

 













Dear Editor,

Our first own dictator of Guyana, Mr. L.F.S. Burnham, dutifully followed the script that was almost universally embraced by tyrants in their grab for total power. In then Guyana , not only were local opponents perceived as “Enemies of the State’ pulverized, but so were even friends and former colleagues whose loyalties were now deemed questionable.


This brilliant lawyer and orator trampled upon human rights and controlled the judiciary, media, education, police, army, civil service jobs and promotion etc. In fact he was the arbiter of life or death for many.


This deified person changed the constitution to be the chosen ‘President for Life,’ and as a legal safeguard made himself, ‘The Comrade Leader,’ immune from any prosecution, should his government fall. He was the law and above the law, and decided which and how the laws were to be interpreted and applied.


The President Burnham and his PNC New Nation presided over a dying nation. Yet the PNC to its eternal shame has never apologized to this nation for this destruction of so many lives. Guyanese have not forgiven the PNC for allowing one man and his faithful to subjugate this nation into total tyranny.


What Mr. Burnham failed to do, as other dictators did, was to accumulate sizeable foreign assets or stash cash in overseas accounts. (The news in Guyana was that, according to Ebony Magazine, he was the third richest ‘black man’ in the world. I tried to find this article, but never found it. So far there is no evidence after Burnham’s death that he and his family accumulated wealth anywhere.


His widow, Ms. Viola Burnham, had obtained a few acres of state land on short leases that expired in 1992. The land was used to raise buffaloes which Ms. Burnham sold off over the years to earn a living. Their children held ordinary state jobs even when Mr. Burnham was alive.


They too like so many ordinary Guyanese migrated and struggled to educate themselves, worked at regular jobs and lived in very ordinary circumstances.


Mr. Burnham’s failure to accumulate wealth seems rather uncharacteristic for one so brilliant and who enjoyed the good life – according to his love of Western/European lifestyles and tastes. This failure was because the economy totally tumbled with no foreign exchange being available to purchase basic necessities at home. There were reports of gold being shipped in diplomatic bags.

But these would never have large enough to support any affluent lifestyle overseas. The people of Linden like others in the country rebelled.


The country needed a statesman, the PPP in its wisdom offered Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo and must likewise take the credit or blame for his actions.


Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo of the PPP exceeded the worst excesses of Mr. L.F.S. Burnham of the PNC. This resident dictator, generously armed with the constitutional and legal tools created by his idol (Mr. Burnham) which his mentor Dr. C. B Jagan failed to change in 1992 and should rightfully be called the Dr. Jagan’s PPP constitution, continued the emasculation of the long oppressed people.


Mr. Bharrat’s absolute control even in petty matters made his power felt and the ‘follow the leader’-conditioned and intellect-deficient PPP succumbed and fell.


Moreover, Mr. Jagdeo astutely avoided the personal failures of Mr. Burnham, in that he has accumulated local assets likely far exceeding his total accumulated public incomes. (Guyanese wait for a forensic audit.) It could therefore be concluded that Mr. B. Jagdeo made some exceptionally wise investments in Guyana and/or overseas that Guyanese are not aware of.


Would His Excellency Mr. Jagdeo or his faithful followers kindly let the Guyanese people know where he invested his monies, even while in office? There is no such evidence of wise economic stewardships by His Excellency Mr. Jagdeo with the assets of the nation – since the working-classes are still suffering and praying for deliverance.


Mr. Burnham’s strategy was to nationalize anything ‘big’ and put his faithful in charge; whereas, Mr. Jagdeo’s was/is to outsource and award contracts to local and foreign gangsters or those who are willing to make secret deals at a price.


These members of Mr. Jagdeo’s nobility are given generous government contracts with little public oversight and further contracts are offered to correct the deficiencies/neglects of the first contracts. The fleecing of Guyanese is rampant, as seen in one the earliest scenarios at UG with regards to the renovation of the Biology labs with European Union (EU) funding. This was never addressed.


In addition, these individuals or their companies are given monopolies on the import of certain products, e.g., basic medicine) so that these individuals and their companies control local prices. This is another way to fleece the locals who are an already oppressed people.


These recent arrivals are given advantages and privileges that are denied to honest local businesses that have been working here in Guyana throughout the years. If the locals complained they are belittled publicly, irrespective of age or stature.


Another example is that respectable businesses such as Stabroek News and Kaieteur News have been denied radio and or television licenses despite years of responsible journalism and public service. UG students and the Linden community still cannot get their own radio and or television licenses; wherwas, the American naturalized friends of President Jagdeo get preferential treatments – they have TV and Radio licenses. Mr. Jagdeo’s largesse does not come free. Everything has a price and is negotiable.


Our Elders taught us that we can tell a man by his friends, if those chosen to serve Mr. Jagdeo locally are of questionable character and several of his overseas rich friends are before the foreign courts for basically theft, then what must we conclude of Mr Jagdeo with his unseemly acquisition of personal wealth?


The people have not forgotten the deeds of Mr. Burnham, his executioners and PNC. Likewise, the people will not forget the deeds of Mr. Jagdeo and his loyal henchmen (including those with academic titles), his unprincipled PPP and the new nobility.


Will the PPP do the right thing and apologize to Guyana for the transgressions of their leader, Mr. Jagdeo and his enablers?


 Seelochan Beharry

FM
Originally Posted by Jalil:
 
 

Bhai yuh showing the dishonesty in you cant hide .......please show all of us here on GNI where or when or how I am a PNC Groupie.

 


jalil:

 

Stop being a sourpuss! You know you are OK in the Rev's books even if we dont agree a lot of the time.

 

Relax jalil---don't rile yourself up unnecessarily----Be cool!

 

Rev

FM
Originally Posted by Rev Al:
Originally Posted by Jalil:
 
 

Bhai yuh showing the dishonesty in you cant hide .......please show all of us here on GNI where or when or how I am a PNC Groupie.

 


jalil:

 

Stop being a sourpuss! You know you are OK in the Rev's books even if we dont agree a lot of the time.

 

Relax jalil---don't rile yourself up unnecessarily----Be cool!

 

Rev

a 'big' man . . . scraping around . . . begging for friends

 

pretty pathetic

FM

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