Those who destroy public records will feel the full brunt of the law – Ramjattan

A senior official of A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), which will form

AFC’s Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan

the Government and announce a new cabinet of ministers in coming days, has warned  that anyone engaged in moving or destroying public records will be prosecuted. Amidst reports that records were being moved and destroyed in some cases at Government ministries and agencies, leader of the AFC faction of the coalition, Khemraj Ramjattan, made it clear that the Permanent Secretaries are the accounting officers of the ministries, and are ultimately responsible. “We are aware that the Permanent Secretaries are the accounting officers and they must be accountable for all documentation at their ministries. They must not do anything or allow the removal of documentation that is public property.” Ramjattan’s statements yesterday came as photographs surfaced showing movement of what appeared to be files and records of some ministries. This happened at the Ministry of Labour earlier this week and then again on Wednesday at the Ministry of Housing/Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). At the CH&PA, a SUV reportedly assigned to former Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali, was observed being used to move what appeared to be documents. The matter apparently came to the attention of Permanent Secretary, Emile McGarrell, who ordered the return of the vehicle, PPP 7328, to the Brickdam offices. Several officers were asked to give statements regarding their role in moving the documents. The Permanent Secretary, who is a public servant, immediately ordered that locks to Ali’s office be changed. Ali was subsequently told he was no longer a minister and therefore could not access his office. The issue of public records has been a critical one for the Opposition in the lead-up to the elections. Several contracts, to the tune of billions of dollars, are in question. The coalition had objected to a number of them including the Marriott Hotel, the Specialty Hospital, the Timehri airport expansion, and the Berbice River Bridge, on the basis of transparency and accountability. Some of the deals have raised eyebrows because of the generous tax and other concessions, and the cloudy use of taxpayers’ dollars. According to Ramjattan yesterday, they have taken note of the recent developments. “We have taken note of what is happening and we will deal with the situation, but we have other priorities right now. Those who take away public documents in this period of transition, they are going to feel the full brunt of the law.”