Weekend Mirror 14-15 April 2018

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14-15 April, 2018 / Vol. 10 No. 17 / Price: $100

Internet: http: //www.mirrornewsgy.com / e-mail: weekendmirror@gmail.com

Charges against Singh, Brassington “frivolous” - Jagdeo

- SOCU could not even find a ‘national statute’ to base charges on

T

he trend of the Coalition Government to push “frivolous charges” against former government officials when it is under pressure for corruption has been exposed again today with charges being filed by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) against former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and former NICIL Head, Winston Brassington. This is according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who addressed the matter on April 12, 2018 at a news conference held at his Church Street office. He said, “Ashni Singh and Brassington were not charged for stealing money, or for being found with big bank account they cannot explain…not bribery….they were charged for misconduct in public office contrary to common law….for procedural breaches…. they (SOCU) couldn’t even find a national statue to charge them under.” According to him, if charges for procedural breaches are the new order of the day, the entire

APNU+AFC Coalition Government Cabinet would be jailed, given the current state of affairs. Asked about the future and the possibility of pursing charges, the Opposition Leader said, “We will look for infractions of the law, but not frivolous matters…we won’t have time to waste on frivolous issues…we will have investigations by impartial people…where there is misappropriation of assets those people will face the music….no public servant who is forced to do anything illegal if they keep records of being threatened to do these illegal things,” he declared, adding that attention is being paid particularly to the Ministries of Natural Resources and Public Infrastructure. Jagdeo noted too that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is a seasoned political party and will not be intimidated. CHARGES Singh and Brassington faced three joint

charges today. They were arraigned in absentia today. The charges were read before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. The first joint charge alleged that in 2008 while Singh was the Minister of Finance and Chairman of NICIL, he sold Scady Business Corporation a tract of land that is 4.7000 acres, lettered RU and XXX, being a portion of Plantation Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara which is the property of Guyana for the sum of $150M while knowing that the property was valued at $340M when valued by Rodrigues Architects’ asset valuation officer. The second joint charge alleged that while Singh was Minister of Finance and Chairman of NICIL, on December 28, 2009 by way of agreement of sale and purchase he acted recklessly when he sold to National Hardware Guyana Limited a tract of land, plot letter LP, a (Turn to page 3)

SEE INSIDE

The PNC/APNU:

Masters of Distortion and Deception PAGE 3

PPP stands solidly with rice farmers in the face of threat of legal proceedings by Gov’t PAGE 7

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo updating Guyanese in Toronto on latest developments in Guyana

Exxon-Guyana oil deal:

Guyana got shafted – IMF PAGE 2

The Return Of The ‘Green Monsters’ PAGE 9


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