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FM
Former Member

AFC uncovers “secret” US$25M bank account

April 14, 2013 | By | Filed Under News 

…signatories are Brassington, Burrowes

 

Ahead of tomorrow’s talks with Government to stave off a $38B cut from the National Budget, the Opposition has accused the administration of hiding almost $5B (US$25M) in a bank account under the control of Winston Brassington, the controversial head of the Privatisation Unit. The monies at the Guyana Bank For Trade and Industry (GBTI), according to Khemraj Ramjattan, Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), can be used to pay public servants a much-needed increase in wages and salaries. Both opposition parties, AFC and A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), which control a one-seat majority in the National Assembly, are determined to slash excesses from the National Budget and on Friday said that they are willing to talk with Government before Monday’s afternoon considerations of the estimates. Ramotar has agreed to meet with the parties tomorrow at the Office of the President. Regarding the bank account, Ramjattan said that a whistleblower disclosed that Brassington and Keith Burrowes, an official close to the government, are the main persons controlling the bank account at GBTI. “We are being told by a reliable source…a whistleblower…that the account has $4.9B in it in the name of National Cooperative Financial Services. AFC is extremely concerned about this since nowhere has the government told the National Assembly that it has (this money) sitting in an account.” The National Assembly is the authority that scrutinizes and releases spending from the Consolidated Funds, where all public monies are held. According to Ramjattan, the $4.9B would represent some of the proceeds from the divestment of GAIBANK and the Guyana National Cooperative Bank. “The Government is telling us that it will have no monies if we reduce the wastage. Well, the AFC wants to tell them that there is $3-4B also sitting in the accounts of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). The National Assembly again don’t have control over these funds that belong to the people of Guyana.” The Opposition has been fighting tooth and nail with Government for several billions of dollars which lie in several accounts and are controlled by a number of semi-autonomous state agencies, including GGMC, the Guyana Forestry Commission, NICIL and GuyOil. They have been arguing that the monies are public funds that should fall under the oversight of the people’s representatives –Members of Parliament. However, government has been unwilling to budge from its position.

Keith Burrowes

Brassington has been a shadowy figure overseeing government’s controversial privatization deals to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. There are still many questions where some of the privatization proceeds went.

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 Regarding the bank account, Ramjattan said that a whistleblower disclosed that Brassington and Keith Burrowes, an official close to the government, are the main persons controlling the bank account at GBTI. “We are being told by a reliable source…a whistleblower…that the account has $4.9B in it in the name of National Cooperative Financial Services.

 

Is this not tantatmount to embezzlement ?

Mitwah
Originally Posted by yuji22:

This will turn out to be another egg in the face lie for the AFC and toilet paper KN. Remember, this is just dem boys seh Toilet Paper reporting.

Yugi, Dat is why I asked Or is It???

Nehru
Originally Posted by yuji22:

This will turn out to be another egg in the face lie for the AFC and toilet paper KN. Remember, this is just dem boys seh Toilet Paper reporting.


Yuji:

 

Khemraj Ramjattan and the AFC are more desperate than the DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.hahahaha

 

They will make desperate charges and do desperate things---These losers are full of drama and hot air---only fools, idiots and morons will believe the tales they weave.

 

Rev

FM

that is the problem being a thief if you are inocent the people will always think you are guilty not the AFC have to prove that  the government is guilty but the government have to prove that they are inocent and remember the people is watching

FM
Originally Posted by warrior:

that is the problem being a thief if you are inocent the people will always think you are guilty not the AFC have to prove that  the government is guilty but the government have to prove that they are inocent and remember the people is watching

HAHAHA 

Nehru
Originally Posted by Mitwah:

I just found out that Brazzy is no longer de secretary for the Berbice Bridge Banditos.

Mr Nehru and Mr Baseman are two sent here by Brassy/Jagdeo/Ramotar to obfuscate.

FM

De bandits are moving the thieves around as if it were musical chairs to try and hide their responsibilities but its like a cartel at the end of the day the money is secured and then divided up accordingly.

FM

 a whistleblower disclosed that Brassington and Keith Burrowes, an official close to the government, are the main persons controlling the bank account at GBTI. “We are being told by a reliable source…a whistleblower…that the account has $4.9B in it in the name of National Cooperative Financial Services.

Mitwah

Opposition says Government protecting Brassington

OCTOBER 2, 2013 | BY  | FILED UNDER NEWS 

Opposition members jumped on the defensive in response to statements made by Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram about their role in justice and accountability, but stated that their hands are tied when it comes to some government cronies.

NICIL’s Chairman, Winston Brassington

NICIL’s Chairman, Winston Brassington

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan

AFC Leader,
Khemraj Ramjattan

APNU Member of Parliament, Joseph Harmon

APNU Member of Parliament, Joseph Harmon

This newspaper’s Monday’s edition carried an article that spoke about the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)’s Chairman, Winston Brassington’s perceived transgressions as it relates to the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI).
In that piece, Ram was quoted saying, “…if the Opposition allows Brassington to continue this lawlessness then we as a country must stop the pretence that we have financial laws and cease speaking ever again of accountability.”
Ram spoke of Brassington’s disregard for the public revenues and said that it should not go without strong sanction.  The accountant added that “It is clearly overdue that Brassington should be summoned before the relevant authorities to answer for his flagrant disregard of the law.”
In response to Ram’s statements, both parliamentary opposition parties are saying that the fate of Guyana shouldn’t rest solely in the hands of the opposition.
“What is he (Ram) saying we should do exactly? They’re all beating up on the Opposition but I don’t know what we can do with this guy Brassington, he is all over the place. Also, how can we capture him when government has immunized him from any criminal process?” a frustrated AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan asked.
Ramjattan said that the Opposition has been “defending the people of Guyana by virtue of its parliamentary work, while the government has been suffering the people by stalling the formation of the procurement commission…also to protect him (Brassington)”.
He said that it is necessary for the citizens  to understand, speak up, and not allow the government to trample upon them. He added “the opposition is trying but we cannot do everything on our own.”
Ramjattan had indeed taken a motion before the House which sought to stop Government from injecting state funds into the construction of the Marriott-branded Hotel in Kingston.
The motion, was one to ensure that no further expenditure be incurred by NICIL or its subsidiary Atlantic Hotels Incorporated (AHI) on the Marriott Hotel project, without the authorization and approval of the National Assembly.
A section of the Motion stated “Government is using NICIL as an instrument, whether directly or indirectly through its subsidiary Atlantic Hotels Incorporated, to unlawfully acquire public lands and then to lease such lands, and also to spend billions of dollars of public monies into the Marriott Hotel Project, so as to avoid and evade authorization and approval of the National Assembly.”
Ramjattan based the motion on the fact that the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, had failed to “fully comply” with the terms of a motion approved by the National Assembly on June 27.
The motion cited by Ramjattan had sought to hold the responsible Minister to, among things, provide the National Assembly, “as early as possible” with: a detailed report on the disposal by sale or otherwise of all state assets entrusted to NICIL and the Privatization Unit, the terms of which they were disposed of and the criteria used and the outstanding bi-annual reports and annual audited accounts required of NICIL and the privatization Unit under the relevant legislation.
Further, the motion requested that the Finance Minister make financial provision for the “urgent” commencement of an “independent financial audit of the operations of NICIL.”
Meanwhile,  A  Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Joseph Harmon told Kaieteur News that  anybody who discovers a crime can report it to the “relevant authorities.”
Harmon was adamant that “this struggle is not about the opposition, it is about a country that is being raped of its resources.”
He said that were he to make a report to the relevant authorities, he wouldn’t know exactly what to report on.
The politician confessed that he doesn’t quite understand accounting procedures and in many cases doesn’t know what to look for.
“Politicians don’t know everything; we often need professionals to highlight certain things. He (Ram) is the accountant and he made these discoveries …Why doesn’t he make a report?”
Harmon contended that the opposition has been doing its part to “deal with Brassington”. In that regard, Harmon referred to the Motion his colleague, Carl Greenidge, had taken before the National Assembly. That Motion was one that called for a full audit into the affairs of NICIL.

Mars
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by JB:

The opposition is on top of this thieving project. 

Agreed. They just want to get inside of this project so they too can theif.

The point is you can imaging the opposition to be potential thieves. The PPP are actual thieves and therein lies the matter. You do not ask the law to be experts at pre crime. You ask them to be adroit at apprehending and stopping criminals on the job.

FM
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by JB:

The opposition is on top of this thieving project. 

Agreed. They just want to get inside of this project so they too can theif.

 

The opposition don't need to thief. Most of them are very successful. 

FM

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