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Ar GUYANA | Pt. Ubraj Narine Comes to Hughes Defence, wants Jagdeo to deal with PPP's Corruption
GUYANA | Pt. Ubraj Narine Comes to Hughes Defence, wants Jagdeo to deal with PPP's Corruption
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, July 10, 2024 - Former Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine has responded to Guyana's Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who Flayed leader of the Alliance for Change party Attorney Nigel Hughes’ insistence on remaining ExxonMobil’s lawyer is unethical and amounts to double standards but Mr Hughes said he has not been responsible for the company’s portfolio for the past 24 years.
Mr Hughes had previously ruled out giving up his law practice and representation of ExxonMobil and other oil and gas sector clients while AFC Leader, as he could not allow the quality of his legal representation to be affected by his political office.
Instead, he is on record as saying that the AFC would be setting up a separate committee to deal with and pronounce on the hydrocarbon sector.
The party has appointed Dr. Vincent Adams and Mr. David Patterson to head the Alliance for Change oil and gas advisory committee…until we attain government, I will have no input in or involvement with the AFC oil and gas committees,” said Nigel Hughes during a news conference on Friday.
If he is elected President, Mr Hughes said he would have to leave his lawfirm Hughes, Fields and Stoby (HFS), and that government would establish a Commission made up of experts to deal with the sector.
Pt Narine however, in a letter to the Editor which is carried below in its entirety has come to the defence of the AFC leader,
Dear Editor,
The recent headline in the Guyana Chronicle 6 July, 2024, "Dr. Jagdeo flags Hughes' attempt to redefine 'conflict of interest" deserves a critical response.
While Dr. Jagdeo raises points about the interpretation of conflict of interest, it is imperative to broaden this discussion beyond semantics to address the profound issue of corruption within his own PPP government.
Because VP Bharrat Jagdeo always defined corruption in his PPP government, I quote " let the people come forward with the evidence " how foolish!! The question to Bharrat Jagdeo where is his evidence now on Mr. Hughes?
VP Bharrat Jagdeo administration turns a blind eye to corruption within its ranks cannot be dismissed lightly.
Allegations of ministers and Permanent Secretaries engaging in activities ranging from owning construction companies, logistics service provider to the oil companies, apartment buildings, chicken business, firearm deals, stone, quarries, cement deal, housing deals, land deals, gold mining deals, private security cut back, shipping out large sum of US dollars and buying properties in family names, among other transgressions, the PPP government is highly corrupt, the United States of America needs to sanction those Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and other governmental officials.
The PPP government shouldn't even make mention of corruption when Ministers and Permanent Secretaries are in the seat of corruption at all levels.
Corruption is not merely a moral failing; it undermines the very fabric of governance and erodes public trust. The accusations of ministers and other governmental officials enriching themselves through public office strike at the heart of democratic principles and fairness.
Calls for international intervention, such as sanctions from the United States, will reflect the seriousness of these allegations and the frustration of the Guyanese people.
While external pressures can serve as a catalyst for accountability, the primary responsibility lies with our own institutions to uphold the rule of law and ensure transparency in governance.
Efforts should be made to strengthen our anti-corruption framework, including robust oversight mechanisms and whistleblower protections. Civil society organizations, media outlets, and concerned citizens play a crucial role in holding public officials accountable and must be supported in their efforts to uncover and expose wrongdoing.
The corruption within the PPP government are serious and must be addressed with the utmost urgency by United States. The future of Guyana's democracy hinges on our ability to confront and root out corruption decisively (which is the Mafia Circle of the PPP government).
This moment demands leadership that prioritizes the public interest above personal gain and ensures that justice prevails. By closing, I will say “the Fed looking fu yall!!”
Pt. Ubraj Narine, JP, COA
Former Staff Sgt.(GDF), Mayor
City of Georgetown
08.07.2024