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Former Member

All eyes on T&T PM amid AG crisis

February 1, 2015 · By Stabroek editor · 0 Comments 1 min ago

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

Trinidad Express) Many will be sitting at the edge of their seats tomorrow when Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar addresses the witness-tampering allegations made against Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.

Persad-Bissessar will make her statement at 4 p.m. at her St Clair office.

Kamla will fire the AG tomorrow

and the Entire Cabinet might resign

and Kamla will call new Elections.

She will not Dodge & Hide like Ramotar..

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

It is alleged that six days before attorney David West was appointed Police Complaints Authority director, Ramlogan asked him to withdraw his witness statement in a defamation lawsuit relating to the failed extradition involving Section 34 applicants Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh, in exchange for his being selected for the job.

Ramlogan, who is now the subject of a criminal investigation, has denied the allegations.

Anil's threats is more serious than this...

He is still on the Job.....

and there is no police Investigation or Charges.

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

Despite several calls for him to resign, he remained in his position up to tonight.

Kamla will fire his ass tomorrow

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

Among the latest organisations to call for him to step down was Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute.

In a press release today, Transparency said the unresolved allegations against Ramlogan may permanently tarnish the Office of the Attorney General.

Noting that the allegations are now the subject of a police investigation, Transparency emphasised that no conclusions as to culpability should be drawn at this time.

“Transparency notes that there is a presumption of innocence, and that all citizens are entitled to full benefit of due process prior to any censure or condemnation.”

The group added, though, that the allegations involve issues of “potential serious criminality” and that the highest moral rectitude is demanded of all holders of public office, who must be above any possible reproach at all times.

“This includes the Attorney General, whose Office is constitutionally enshrined, and who has responsibility for the administration of legal affairs in Trinidad and Tobago,” the statement continued.

“Under the Westminster system of government, which is espoused by Trinidad and Tobago, in circumstances where questions arise over the conduct of a holder of public office, propriety requires that the office-holder demit office pending the completion of investigations,” Transparency stated.

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

Arima Mayor George Hadeed

also called for Ramlogan to resign.

In a press release on Friday, he said both Ramlogan and Speaker of the House of Representatives Wade Mark cannot remain in office without bringing their organisations into further disrepute.

“The only course open to both gentlemen is to resign their offices in an attempt to restore some dignity to our Parliament and our Executive and to bring a semblance of the dignity which the population demands from the holders of these high offices,” said Hadeed.

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

On Saturday, the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) expressed concern about the matter and called for Ramlogan to step down.

“It is the view of LATT that the police investigation into the conduct of the Attorney General has the ability to adversely affect and undermine the public perception of and confidence in the Office of the Attorney General,” said the Law Association in a news release.

“In the circumstances, it is LATT’s considered view that Mr Ramlogan SC must forthwith step down as Attorney General,” it added.

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

Entire Trinidad Cabinet

can face Police Probe

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news...ld-face-police-probe

All eyes on Kamla

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news...01/all-eyes-pm-kamla

Attorney General

Must Resign or be Fired

http://newsday.co.tt/news/0,206360.html

STEP DOWN NOW...

http://www.trinidadexpress.com...--Now-290442421.html

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Former Member

Kamla will fire the AG tomorrow

and the Entire Cabinet might resign

and Kamla might appoint

a new Temporary cabinet

and will call new Elections soon.

She will not Dodge & Hide like Ramotar..

Trinidad Democracy Versus Guyana Corruption

2/1/159:59 PM

Former Member

The fact that Trinidad is a role model is a sign of what a disaster Guyana is. Trinidad is a seriously corrupt society.

2/1/1510:17 PM

PointblankSenior Member

The people in TT dont mek joke they are the ones pressuring Kamla. she trying tohold on her party is highly likely to loose the next election. her party lost most of their local govt elections last year.

The people ofGuyana needs to take examples from the trinidadians

2/1/1510:31 PM

Former Member

BREAKING NEWS

AG to resign ...

Lalla tipped for job

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan is set to resign today and attorney Larry Lalla is expected to be sworn in. The Cabinet change will take place before Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar makes her much anticipated announcement at 4 pm.

According to the Constitution, Cabinet must be made up of the Prime Minister and the Attorney General, so once Ramlogan steps down, Lalla would have to be signed in immediately in order to uphold the Constitutional description of what constitutes a government.

The T&T Guardian understands that Ramlogan has not met with Persad-Bissessar but instead was allowed to send a statement to her following reports that Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Director David West made a complaint to police, accusing Ramlogan of attempting to “pervert the course of justice” by asking him to withdraw his witness statement in a civil matter filed by Ramlogan against Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.

The T&T Guardian was informed that Ramlogan met with three lawyers on Thursday; his private lawyer Pamela Elder SC, Wayne Sturge and Gerald Ramdeen. While both Sturge and Ramdeen were spotted entering Ramlogan’s office on Thursday, Elder refused to comment on “anything concerning the AG”, when contacted yesterday. Key members of the Cabinet met at Persad-Bissessar’s home in Phillpine, South Trinidad up until 4 am Sunday morning, sources said, but Ramlogan was a no show.

The T&T Guardian understands that he spent the past three days in his gated-community Palmiste home with his family, discussing his next step. The T&T Guardian was told that while Ramlogan appeared crest-fallen, he stands by his denial that he ever sought to bargain the PCA job as an inducement for West to withdraw his witness statement in the defamation case with Rowley.

“He has said that by the grace of God, he would prove this was a move driven by hate and vengeance,” the insider said. In a statement last Thursday, hours after West made his report, Ramlogan claimed the allegation was “part of a wider political conspiracy designed to damage the government as we draw closer to elections.”

National Security Minister Gary Griffith, who has been identified as a witness in West’s complaint, when he claimed that Ramlogan duped him into contacting West to follow up on whether the witness had withdrawn the witness statement as discussed. Griffith had claimed that he did not know the contents of the document he was asked to follow up on with West.

Griffith said yesterday that has been cleared by investigators and was not a suspect in anyway while the provisions of PCA Act 2006 protects West. Lalla, the T&T Guardian learned has not yet been informed of the confirmation of the appointment but has signalled to close friends that once approached, he would accept. “He is not saying anything until the Prime Minister speaks because he does not want to jump the gun,” a close friend said.

2/2/1512:48 PM

Former Member

guyana can send donald for kamala to give him a crush course

2/2/151:50 PM

Former Member

Griffith threatens to walk

AG to resign

Bharath: Cabinet pressure claims untrue

Renuka Singh

Published:

Monday, February 2, 2015

National Security Minister Gary Griffith at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, during yesterday’s Panorama semifinals. Photo: ABRAHAM DIAZ

National Security Minister Gary Griffith is threatening to quit in the face of scathing press release issued by Communication Minister Vasant Bharath yesterday accused him of making false claims and compromising the integrity of Cabinet.

Now.....Bharat will have to Resign too....

Bharath was referring to reports that Griffith claimed he was pressured by his Cabinet colleagues not support a criminal complaint by Police Complaints Authority Director David West.

West claimed on Thursday that Attorney General Anand Ramlogan asked him (West) to withdraw his witness statement in a defamation case between Ramlogan and Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in exchange for the PCA post.

Griffith is now threatening to expose private details of a meeting he and his wife, Congress of the People chairman, Nicole Dyer-Griffith were “summoned to” with Bharath and United National Congress’s campaign and advertising consultant Ernie Ross on Thursday in Woodbrook.

Who is Ernie Ross?

What is Ernie Ross

Connection to Bharat Jagdeo?

In a subsequent interview though, Bharath denied calling Dyer-Griffith to any meeting and he also denied being present at any meeting with Griffith, Dyer-Griffith and Ross.

In a telephone interview yesterday, a livid Griffith, who was at the National Panorama semifinals, at the Queen’s Park Savannah, in Port-of-Spain, said that he was surprised that Bharath would be the first to say there was no Cabinet pressure on him to not support West. Griffith also criticised Bharath, claiming that the move to discredit him was a “red herring” designed to push him out of office.

Guyana Govt will Fall Too

“I do not need to sell my soul for a political seat and I am not begging anyone to stay, I could walk out of the Government tomorrow with my head high,” Griffith said. Griffith said Bharath never contacted him before issuing that statement and was shocked that Bharath would make such damning statements without verifying whether he did in fact say that Cabinet was putting pressure on him not to support West.

“It is surprising and ironic that the Minister of Communication is the first to jump out and make those statements. It is ironic that he of all people would be saying that but you know what they say about people who protest too much,” Griffith said.

He said it was “interesting” that Bharath would make such statements “as if he forgot” what played off between the four of us at a meeting at Ross’ office on Thursday, after news broke that Griffith was in fact maintaining that he would remain a witness against Ramlogan.

“The court of public opinion could judge me and I could keep my head high but I want Bharath to answer to the country what he was doing up in Ernie Ross office on Thursday and why they summoned me and Mrs Griffith to a meeting and what was said there,” Griffith said. “The Minister of Communication lacks the most basic common sense and manners if he cannot contact me before making these statements,” he said.

“Let them continue, I have no intention to lie to protect anyone and I am not going to be pressured to lie,” Griffith said. Despite Griffith’s threats, it was Bharath who drew first blood yesterday when he issued a media statement saying that Griffith’s word and actions had “compromised the integrity of Cabinet”.

Trinidad National Security Minister

Gary Griffith...

will bring down the

Trinidad & Guyana Govt

Cabinet confusion Former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj said on Saturday that the entire Cabinet could be the subject of a police investigation if it proven that pressure had been applied to Griffith to withdraw his statement in support of West. The media release carried the headline “Bharath: Griffith’s claims ‘false and without basis’ and went on to say that Griffith’s claim that he was pressured by Cabinet was “COMPLETELY false and without any basis whatsoever!”

“Any suggestion that such a request was made of the National Security Minister at the meeting of Cabinet last Thursday is completely and utterly false. The Cabinet never, at any time, attempted to do as Mr Griffith has claimed,” the release noted.

“In dismissing the claims, Minister Bharath added: “More than Mr Griffith’s claims being completely untrue is the fact that he has, by his actions, compromised the integrity of Cabinet, and has done so without any clear or rational reason,” Bharath’s release said.

“The irony of these claims are also very stark, when one considers that it is this Government that has done the most to not only maintain, but improve the processes and mechanisms that promote accountability and transparency in Government,” Bharath said.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ERNIE ROSS IS ALSO THE PPP CONSULTANT

WHO NOW OWNS BHARAT JAGDEO PRADOVILLE # 1 - IN GUYANA ....

in a Shady 120 Million Dollar Deal

http://www.baiganchoka.com/pre...-for-guy120-million/

President Bharrat Jagdeo is selling his property

at Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara

to Guyana’s Honorary Consul to Trinidad and Tobago,

Desmond Ernest Arbothnott Ross for GUY$120 million.

The transport for the land located at 135 Goedverwagting (part of Block ‘I&rdquo

was published in the July 10 edition of Guyana’s Official Gazette.

Sources say that related papers are being processed

for the sale of the house and land for GUY$120 million.

Ross, a musician and

Chief Executive Officer/Creative Director of Ernie Ross Advertising Limited,

gives his address as 129 Park Avenue, West Moorings, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Ross; advertising agency worked on the campaign strategy

for the United National Congress (UNC),

the major stakeholder in the ‘Peoples Partnership’ that recently swept to power.

Ernie Ross Advertising Limited

had contracted American Harry Bernard Campbell

to help with the campaign strategy for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s

coalition before the election.

Ernie Ross is a

Business Partner of Bharat Jagdeo

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Bharrat Jagdeo Presidency:

A dozen years of degeneration and decay

November 7, 2011 2 comments

By ARIF BULKAN | 0 COMMENTS | IN THE DIASPORA | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Arif Bulkan teaches human rights law at the University of the West Indies in Barbados.

What would an honest evaluation of the Jagdeo Presidency reveal? Its genesis lay in naked constitutional manipulation, for in the 1997 general elections Bharrat Jagdeo had not been elected as President or Prime Minister by the People. Thus when Janet Jagan disclosed in August 1999 that she could no longer continue as President due to her declining health, Jagdeo’s succession was contrived through a circuitous route. First, Sam Hinds was required to resign so that Jagdeo could be sworn in as Prime Minister on August 9th, and this was followed by Janet Jagan’s resignation and Jagdeo’s assumption of the Presidency on August 11th. This process gave fair warning to the Guyanese people of how slender national ‘democracy’ was, for in a country where one party has a stranglehold on power, the only hope of forestalling imperial rule is if that party’s internal structure has processes and mechanisms by which its leader(s) can be held accountable.

But Jagdeo was a handpicked successor, revealing the imperial nature of the power possessed by the head of the ruling party and that party’s fundamentally undemocratic nature. More troubling was that his installation in office required the circumvention of the supreme law of the land, but this did not seem to give the PPP as an institution any cause for discomfort. All this was an ominous portent of things to come. Janet Jagan may have thought that she was installing a puppet – but just as she was able to exercise maximum power as President, so too was her creation eventually able to function, uncontainable even by her (there’s a lesson there for Jagdeo and Ramotar, but that’s another story).

Back in 1999, a battered electorate gave little thought to PPP intrigue, despite the very public manner in which events unfolded. Jagdeo’s youth represented a refreshing antidote to the old guard and party loyalists, and his selection on the eve of the millennium could have been taken to herald both literal and symbolic rebirth. And to be fair, in the intervening twelve years there have been instances where Jagdeo has demonstrated solid leadership – notably in the principled stand he took with regard to the Economic Partnership Agreement being forced down the region’s throats by the European Union, despite the considerable opposition of his counterparts in CARICOM.

Sadly, however, for the most part Jagdeo’s rule has been a bitter disappointment, where any initial promise was quickly extinguished by an autocratic, intolerant, vindictive, incompetent and verbally abusive style of governance. I could go on, for there are many negative adjectives which can be used to describe Jagdeo’s presidency,but when I saw the photograph taken of the President at the India Day parade in New York City, I thought that it said it all.

This week’s column will focus on two prominent features of his presidency symbolised in the photograph:

1) the way in which he has consistently indulged himself, the public purse be damned, and

2) the way in which he has materially indulged his cronies, again without regard for the public purse.

Personal indulgence

Jagdeo’s personal financial dealings need little recounting. As I pointed out in an earlier column, the sale of his first state-subsidized house and land in Goedverwagting at a price that far exceeds market value and to Guyana’s consul in Trinidad and Tobago is one that reeks of impropriety and would have been immediately investigated in any functioning democracy.

Personal indulgence.....

Immediately after this sale Jagdeo acquired more state-subsidized lands, but at a price far below market value.Personal indulgence.....

A number of irregularities surrounded this second transaction: the President obtained more than 4 times the amount of land a re-migrant can purchase; he paid barely one-sixth of what a re-migrant would have had to pay; and the allocation to him was made by Cabinet in violation of standard policies that state-subsidized land is only to be distributed to persons who do not own or have not owned property in the previous 5 years.Personal indulgence.....

Most obscene of all, as pointed out by Bro. Eusi Kwayana, the lands awarded to the President form part of a post-emancipation village. That many of the descendants of those first villages still live in squatting areas while the choicest lands built through the sweat of working people are reserved for Jagdeo and his cabal of supporters, is a monstrous injustice.Personal indulgence.....

It then emerged that 29 tons of building material was shipped to Jagdeo from alleged criminal Ed Ahmad. Mr. Ahmad has other unsavoury antecedents – in the US he “loaned” money to Congressman Meeks, which was only re-paid when the authorities commenced an investigation. Sometime before (or after) Ahmad sent the container of building material to the President, he secured lands from Guysuco on the West Bank. We will have to do the math, because unlike in the US, there will be no official investigation into these events.Personal indulgence.....

Then it has been reported that on each trip abroad, Jagdeo receives a US$5,000 (G$1 million) out-of-pocket allowance over and above the funding for the trip, for which he does not have to account. Compare that to the minimum wage of G$35,000 per month and Guyana today is like France under the Bourbons (of the ‘let them eat cake’ period).Personal indulgence.....

Then there is the presidential pension, which will afford Jagdeo a life of post-retirement luxury. How the $3 million monthly figure has been computed is a mystery to me. Under the law passed by Jagdeo’s minions in parliament many of the benefits are uncapped, so the cost to the taxpayer could conceivably exceed $3m given the standards presently exhibited.

Cronyism Personal indulgence.....