| Opposition members jumped on the defensive in response to statements made by Financial Analyst,Cheap Nike Football Jerseys, 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 BrassingtonAFC Leader,Khemraj RamjattanAPNU Member of Parliament, Joseph HarmonThis 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,Stitched Basketball Jerseys NCAA, 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,Cheap NBA Jerseys Wholesale, 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,Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys, 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,Fjallraven Kanken Bags Australia, 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,Adam Oates Jersey, 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. |
