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Former Member

SARU operating illegally

December 9, 2015 By GuyanaTimes

Asset Recovery/wild goose chase

– AG admits entity toothless

The State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), which was established by the Administration to hunt for assets that initially

Attorney General Basil Williams

belonged to the Government, is operating without legal authority, Attorney General Basil Williams indicated.
The Attorney General told media operatives during a press conference on Monday at his Chambers that there was presently no legislation empowering SARU.
“Let me get this thing clear, the authority for investigating crime in Guyana and preventing crime is the Guyana Police Force … When it comes to charging people for criminal offences, that stop is the Director of Public Prosecutions Office,” he stated, noting that SARU currently has no legal authority to do any of these things.
This is the position taken by the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister although SARU has been extensively involved in investigating alleged actions of an illegal nature and making recommendations for charges.
So far, SARU, which is headed by renowned Economist Dr Clive Thomas, has recommended that the relevant authority consider laying charges against several People Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Members of Parliament, including former President Bharrat Jagdeo, over allegations they were all involved in obtaining State lands at an undervalued market price.
Those named include PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee, former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, former

SARU head Dr Clive Thomas

Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford, former Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud, and former head of the Guyana Sugar Corporation Board, Shaik Baksh.
Nonetheless, given his position that the only authority for investigating crime is the GPF, when asked, therefore, if SARU was toothless, Williams responded in the negative.
“It can’t be toothless when it is constituted and it has a mandate,” he stated.
Williams added, “The legislation … is already on the draft board … the legislation will put all that to rest. An expert has been here assisting SARU in preparing that legislation.”
Previously, the PPP/C Opposition had raised grave concerns over the operation of SARU, which it contended was operating illegally.
Meanwhile, even as SARU continues to operate without legal authority, the public is yet to know what are the Terms of Reference and the identities of the staff.
The PPP/C always contended – since the establishment of this entity – that it was clearly being used for political purposes and was aimed at proving the alleged wrongdoings of the PPP/C Administration during its terms in office.
“On assumption to office, the [A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change] APNU/AFC took up the cudgels of what was a personal vendetta on the part of the owner of the Kaieteur News and transformed it into reality. Eventually, a morphed Opposition media/Government vendetta became a civil juridical matter, thanks to a conspiracy between the APNU/AFC and the Kaieteur News,” the PPP/C had stated.

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Former Member

The State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), which was established by the Administration to hunt for assets that initiallybelonged to the Government, is operating without legal authority, Attorney General Basil Williams indicated.

12/9/158:26 AM

Former Member

Witchhunt agains't the PPP/C; Now this shit is Flying into the face of the APNU/AFC....the Coalition Government.

We should be aware of how much money gone to this illegal entity.

12/9/158:28 AM

Mr.TI pity the fool

They are acting with legal authority. If Granger say that they should carry out this job then that is legal. The attorney general is acting outside his own remit by passing judgement on an election promise. Technically he is committing treason.

12/9/158:40 AM

Former Member

Mr.T posted:
They are acting with legal authority. If Granger say that they should carry out this job then that is legal. The attorney general is acting outside his own remit by passing judgement on an election promise. Technically he is committing treason.

They are illegal! This looks like a Govt creating their own agency to go after the opposition. Looks like a dictatorship/communism to me.

If they want to be fair and open, an independent commission with input from all stakeholders should be set up to investigate, not only the PPP, but the old PNC as well.

But we know some of these old PNC currently in Govt will not go for that...after all, they will also be locked up!!

12/9/158:48 AM

Former Member

Mr.T posted:
They are acting with legal authority. If Granger say that they should carry out this job then that is legal. The attorney general is acting outside his own remit by passing judgement on an election promise. Technically he is committing treason.

Is Granger Guyana's furor?

12/9/159:07 AM

Former Member

RiffRaff posted:
Mr.T posted:
They are acting with legal authority. If Granger say that they should carry out this job then that is legal. The attorney general is acting outside his own remit by passing judgement on an election promise. Technically he is committing treason.
They are illegal! This looks like a Govt creating their own agency to go after the opposition. Looks like a dictatorship/communism to me.
If they want to be fair and open, an independent commission with input from all stakeholders should be set up to investigate, not only the PPP, but the old PNC as well.
But we know some of these old PNC currently in Govt will not go for that...after all, they will also be locked up!!

12/9/159:09 AM

Mr.TI pity the fool

How can it be illegal? If it is not in the constitution it is not a legal matter. Ant government anywhere in the world can hold an investigation into the finances and financial management in the country. As a matter of fact the current Kenyan president is being lauded for the investigations he has ordered into the previous administration handling of the finances. The Nigerian president is doing something similar.

12/9/159:29 AM

Former Member

Mr.T posted:
How can it be illegal? If it is not in the constitution it is not a legal matter. Ant government anywhere in the world can hold an investigation into the finances and financial management in the country. As a matter of fact the current Kenyan president is being lauded for the investigations he has ordered into the previous administration handling of the finances. The Nigerian president is doing something similar.

Take it a step further and investigate some of the old PNC stalwarts....let us see what happened during both administrations...

In the US and most developed countries, these type of investigations are run by independent agencies, not by vindictive Govts setting up their own agency to investigate

12/9/1510:02 AM

Former Member

RiffRaff posted:
Mr.T posted:
They are acting with legal authority. If Granger say that they should carry out this job then that is legal. The attorney general is acting outside his own remit by passing judgement on an election promise. Technically he is committing treason.
They are illegal! This looks like a Govt creating their own agency to go after the opposition. Looks like a dictatorship/communism to me.
If they want to be fair and open, an independent commission with input from all stakeholders should be set up to investigate, not only the PPP, but the old PNC as well.
But we know some of these old PNC currently in Govt will not go for that...after all, they will also be locked up!!

The guyanese president is an Executive president that has complete authority to do as he pleases with little constraint. Parliament is a creature of the President since he controls the majority in office and can at his discretion fire any parliamentarian. Parliament is therefore a rubber stamp body.

12/9/1510:31 AM

Former Member

Guess the Burnham constitution is handy

12/9/1510:35 AM

NehruBig Mouth Member

Stormborn posted:
RiffRaff posted:
Mr.T posted:
They are acting with legal authority. If Granger say that they should carry out this job then that is legal. The attorney general is acting outside his own remit by passing judgement on an election promise. Technically he is committing treason.
They are illegal! This looks like a Govt creating their own agency to go after the opposition. Looks like a dictatorship/communism to me.
If they want to be fair and open, an independent commission with input from all stakeholders should be set up to investigate, not only the PPP, but the old PNC as well.
But we know some of these old PNC currently in Govt will not go for that...after all, they will also be locked up!!
The guyanese president is an Executive president that has complete authority to do as he pleases with little constraint. Parliament is a creature of the President since he controls the majority in office and can at his discretion fire any parliamentarian. Parliament is therefore a rubber stamp body.

i THINK i POINTED THIS OUT MANY, MANY TIMES WHEN jAGDEO RULED!!!

12/9/1510:49 AM

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SARU operating illegally

Asset Recovery/wild goose chase

– AG admits entity toothless

The State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), which was established by the Administration to hunt for assets that initially

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