Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has finally offered his Cabinet colleagues an explanation for a

President, David Granger

photograph which saw him posing comfortably with officials of Chinese logging company, BaiShanLin.
This is the very company that is currently under the watchful eye of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU). Ironically, it is the same company that was heavily criticized by Harmon for its wanton abuse of Guyana’s forests, excessive breaches of the nation’s laws and failure to fulfill its promise of a wood-processing facility.
Asked about Harmon’s explanation, President David Granger said, “(Harmon) has explained it to the Cabinet… The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China was in China at that time and he (Harmon) had to go to about three or four different cities.”
“The Ambassador arranged the Executive transport because of the distance between the cities and the amount of time he (Harmon) had at his disposal so it was arranged by the Chinese Government to enable him to travel to different cities so that he can conduct the business he was there to conduct.”
Granger was then asked who funded the trip from Guyana to China. Granger said he understands that it was funded by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
“I know that he went to China on NICIL business. I saw the Cabinet decision,” the President added.
In a recent interview with this newspaper, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, had said that it would not only be a “massive error in judgment” but also a “reckless move” for a politician to be on a private jet ride with officials who are under investigation by his country.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

He made this assertion after being pressed by Kaieteur News to say whether in a “hypothetical” situation if he would have been caught in such a circumstance.
Given his response, he was then pressed to say whether he is comfortable with the actions of his Cabinet colleague, Joseph Harmon, who was over the weekend exposed in a similar situation.
The Public Security Minister said he is aware that in the Sunday edition of the Kaieteur News, a picture was published on the front page which showed Harmon in a photograph posing with officials of BaiShanLin on a private jet. This newspaper understands that Harmon did not inform Cabinet about any meeting or interaction with BaiShanLin officials.
In spite of this, the Minister of Public Security declined to divulge how he felt about the revelation.
The Minister of Public Security made it clear that Ministers should always live a life that can hold up to public scrutiny.