A New dispensation in Parliament and a chance for people to demand more of these politicians. For ages a non working Integrity Commission and Police and Judical Service Commissions.
The lack of a proper Integrity Commission, one which is still directed by the Head of the Presidential Secretariat and one still directly funded by the Office of the President has contributed to the in proper conduct of officials allowing them to habour hundreds of millions on dollars in assets and businesses around the world.
For instance, the Former President has been able to build a multi million dollar home even after he has already set himself up restaurants and apartment buildings in the United States. But he isnt the only one opposition politicians are taking their share of the pie too, small pies of course, nothing compared to the bug wigs of the present administration. For instance many of them are getting themselves into mining. I guess we will hear less of them about the ills of this sector.
But it can only be the lack of a functioning Integrity Commission that would see the Housing Minister setting himself up a nice lil mansion in the West of the Demerara River. We have all heard at one time or another of these guys bug spending and investment, about deals and cut backs but sometimes the actual revelation is much more shocking than we expect. There has been much speculation about how Ali got his money to build his home, but it comes as no surprise that people like Ali benefit from special arrangements from well known contractors and home building retailers. Ali could better explain how after selling hundreds of acres to National Hardware he was casually meeting the owner for drinks. But this is a norm in our society, to get the best of deals, we must know whose hands to shake. While we are on Ali, it is also quite interesting to know that the same Housing Minister now owns a Quamina street property previously owned by Guyana Times Owner Bobby Ramroop which was acquired from Tony 'sell out' Viera. The property was once the home of Evening News and is now rented by Caricom Insurance.
We mentioned the Judicial Service Commission earlier and we only did so since news of the rental of a city property has sparked attention. Of Course it is fine to rent your property but if you are the Chief Justice if you rent your property to owners of a strip club there is some serious issues with ethics here. The South Road property owned by the CJ has been recently renovated and is now the spotlight for a "brazilian strip club" as is commonly known.
We often wonder what will become of our society.
Showing posts with label Integrity commission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Integrity commission. Show all posts
Monday, February 13, 2012
Friday, May 21, 2010
More to it than meets the eye. Deals and Deals!
When will the Integrity Commission lets it independence guide it to drag the Head of Staff with his ‘assets’ before it?
A President who merely makes less than a half a million dollars a month on his day job is busy tying and knotting deals with his cronies and friends that his expected to full his pockets at some time or another.
We know that he got himself a little of the Guyana Times pie as Guyana Times TV Plan to set up a Berbice operation. A new office space is being built.
We know that he has cut himself several sweet deals and owns properties in and out of Guyana. He is negotiating another sweet deal with Russian Powers and would see a fibre optic cable coming from Brazil. This man would be making more money!!!
We were also informed of this connection to the Russian owned Rusal. Connection we say but hidden in that, word is director of the Bauxite Company.
Now as the story about Rusal’s involvement in a hydro power plant breaks we wonder about that else is not visible to the eye.
Stabroek News of Wednesday May 19 has an interesting and though provoking story. It says that a letter between a Gianfranco Miceli of Business Development of a Brazilian Company, Andrade Gutierrez and RUSAL’s General manager Alexex Gordymov talking about building a hydro power plant in the Middle Mazaruni. This isn’t the only revelation. According to SN who we will quote their article says that there are talks about two consortiums involving RUSAL, GUYANA GOVERNMENT and Brazilian owned ELECTROBRAS.
In fact, the Brazilian Company said that it is ready to go ahead.
This is despite no announcement by the government, no reports of Environment Impact Assessment and oh wait, No tendering.
There must be a Memorandum of Understanding somewhere around.
There are some pieces of the puzzle as put together by Stabroek News.
“In the letter dated May 14, which was seen by this newspaper, Gordymov told Miceli that he hoped that their meeting in Miami in March this year was productive and at least the parties could exchange their intentions and recognise how they could move the project forward. He recalled that despite efforts they could not find any amicable solution at the time. He recalled that during the March meeting it was understood that one of the crucial points for Miceli was to get Electrobras to be part of a consortium. He mentioned the building of a smelter. After numerous internal reviews and discussions, they would like to continue dialogue on the main principals, Gordymov said.
He outlined six points. According to the letter, Consortium A would be created with three main stakeholders: Electrobras, the Government of Guyana and Rusal. “This consortium would be responsible for developing the Hydropower Plant and distribution of energy”, Gordymov wrote. He said the consortium would build a 3000MW hydropower plant which would be done in three phases.
He said that the first 1000MW would be sold to Brazil “beside what is energy required by Guyana” and the second 1000MW “(probably less)” would go to the smelter. The third 1000MW would be sold to Brazil, he said.
He outlined Consortium B – which would be created between the government of Guyana and RUSAL for the construction of an aluminum smelter. “RUSAL would control the consortium”.
According to the letter, Consortium B has a right to declare an option to use energy in the second phase of up to 1000MW “in case smelting capacity will be built before commissioning 2nd phase”. Such an option has to be declared no later than six months after the commissioning of the first phase, Gordymov outlined. He said that if this option is not declared by Consortium B within that time then Consortium A has a right to use the energy of the second phase at its own discretion. In this case, the third phase will be developed by Consortium A when Consortium B decides that the smelter is needed, according to Gordymov.
He said that the Consortiums will enter into a written agreement where Consortium A will guarantee to supply power to Consor-tium B in the requested amount for smelting but no more than 1000MW at a cost basis price.
“We will appreciate your feedback on this message and would like to point (out) that we are ready to develop further this project in case you accept (the) above main terms”, Gordymov wrote. He added that any final deal is subject to contract. “
We say there is no way this could have even past our dear President’s ears.
A President who merely makes less than a half a million dollars a month on his day job is busy tying and knotting deals with his cronies and friends that his expected to full his pockets at some time or another.
We know that he got himself a little of the Guyana Times pie as Guyana Times TV Plan to set up a Berbice operation. A new office space is being built.
We know that he has cut himself several sweet deals and owns properties in and out of Guyana. He is negotiating another sweet deal with Russian Powers and would see a fibre optic cable coming from Brazil. This man would be making more money!!!
We were also informed of this connection to the Russian owned Rusal. Connection we say but hidden in that, word is director of the Bauxite Company.
Now as the story about Rusal’s involvement in a hydro power plant breaks we wonder about that else is not visible to the eye.
Stabroek News of Wednesday May 19 has an interesting and though provoking story. It says that a letter between a Gianfranco Miceli of Business Development of a Brazilian Company, Andrade Gutierrez and RUSAL’s General manager Alexex Gordymov talking about building a hydro power plant in the Middle Mazaruni. This isn’t the only revelation. According to SN who we will quote their article says that there are talks about two consortiums involving RUSAL, GUYANA GOVERNMENT and Brazilian owned ELECTROBRAS.
In fact, the Brazilian Company said that it is ready to go ahead.
This is despite no announcement by the government, no reports of Environment Impact Assessment and oh wait, No tendering.
There must be a Memorandum of Understanding somewhere around.
There are some pieces of the puzzle as put together by Stabroek News.
“In the letter dated May 14, which was seen by this newspaper, Gordymov told Miceli that he hoped that their meeting in Miami in March this year was productive and at least the parties could exchange their intentions and recognise how they could move the project forward. He recalled that despite efforts they could not find any amicable solution at the time. He recalled that during the March meeting it was understood that one of the crucial points for Miceli was to get Electrobras to be part of a consortium. He mentioned the building of a smelter. After numerous internal reviews and discussions, they would like to continue dialogue on the main principals, Gordymov said.
He outlined six points. According to the letter, Consortium A would be created with three main stakeholders: Electrobras, the Government of Guyana and Rusal. “This consortium would be responsible for developing the Hydropower Plant and distribution of energy”, Gordymov wrote. He said the consortium would build a 3000MW hydropower plant which would be done in three phases.
He said that the first 1000MW would be sold to Brazil “beside what is energy required by Guyana” and the second 1000MW “(probably less)” would go to the smelter. The third 1000MW would be sold to Brazil, he said.
He outlined Consortium B – which would be created between the government of Guyana and RUSAL for the construction of an aluminum smelter. “RUSAL would control the consortium”.
According to the letter, Consortium B has a right to declare an option to use energy in the second phase of up to 1000MW “in case smelting capacity will be built before commissioning 2nd phase”. Such an option has to be declared no later than six months after the commissioning of the first phase, Gordymov outlined. He said that if this option is not declared by Consortium B within that time then Consortium A has a right to use the energy of the second phase at its own discretion. In this case, the third phase will be developed by Consortium A when Consortium B decides that the smelter is needed, according to Gordymov.
He said that the Consortiums will enter into a written agreement where Consortium A will guarantee to supply power to Consor-tium B in the requested amount for smelting but no more than 1000MW at a cost basis price.
“We will appreciate your feedback on this message and would like to point (out) that we are ready to develop further this project in case you accept (the) above main terms”, Gordymov wrote. He added that any final deal is subject to contract. “
We say there is no way this could have even past our dear President’s ears.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Is the government corrrupt?
I am sure that many time our readers would have been asked the question, of would question themselves as to "is Jagdeo corrupt?" We put forward the following arguments;
1) Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are. Jagdeo's friends include
- Ramroop who pays off ministers, get's contracts awarded to him - and then goes to buy the equipment to manufacture. He also resells drug for MoH.
- Brassington who has abused every bank account in NICIL. Remember that no less than 10billion dollars goes to nicil EVERY YEAR. That money is never accounted for. Brassington, like odinga, has his own island in the Essequibo. It is important to note that Ashni Singh chairs the NICIL board.
- Odinga Lumumba - need we say anything about him? (see previous posts)
- Gerry Govia who used to have deals worked out in the army with McLean. They used the army helicopter to deliver "stuff" in the private hidden airstrips in the jungle.
The List could go on an on....and we will expand this soon....but these friends of the President shows his true nature.
2) The integrity commission. Does jagdeo submit his assets? The fact that he cannot get this commission going as an independent body points to their hiding of things.
3) Fip's road for US$15million. This is just a plain payoff for which moneys would roll back into the private bank accounts.
4) The brazil cable project. Here too moneys will roll back into personal accounts in Miami.
More to come.... for now, you decide!
1) Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are. Jagdeo's friends include
- Ramroop who pays off ministers, get's contracts awarded to him - and then goes to buy the equipment to manufacture. He also resells drug for MoH.
- Brassington who has abused every bank account in NICIL. Remember that no less than 10billion dollars goes to nicil EVERY YEAR. That money is never accounted for. Brassington, like odinga, has his own island in the Essequibo. It is important to note that Ashni Singh chairs the NICIL board.
- Odinga Lumumba - need we say anything about him? (see previous posts)
- Gerry Govia who used to have deals worked out in the army with McLean. They used the army helicopter to deliver "stuff" in the private hidden airstrips in the jungle.
The List could go on an on....and we will expand this soon....but these friends of the President shows his true nature.
2) The integrity commission. Does jagdeo submit his assets? The fact that he cannot get this commission going as an independent body points to their hiding of things.
3) Fip's road for US$15million. This is just a plain payoff for which moneys would roll back into the private bank accounts.
4) The brazil cable project. Here too moneys will roll back into personal accounts in Miami.
More to come.... for now, you decide!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Fipping along
The plot thickens as the Tale of Fip continues. This is probably the most incestuous contract ever awarded in recent times, as we have learnt that Fip Motilal is related to Bharrat Jagdeo on this is father’s side.
While this is a small picture compared to the bigger painting of corruption involving NICIL, the Office of the President and several government officials, more information is flowing as we continued our exploration of the man who promises us Hydro Electricity.
If you check our archives we were the first to alert out readers to the snail’s pace in which Hydro-electricity was being dealt with when we asked Fip to slip the swith.
As we uncover more on Fip, one official told us that the man is no stranger to being awarded government contracts. In fact, the official told us that the government ought to explain who the contracts for the supply of the two generators for the Guyana Power and Light Company were awarded to Synergy Holdings. In fact, two senior government officials raised an alarm about this but these were ignored by the forces higher up.
We are told that the two officials were frustrated to the point where a major project had to be delayed several times since Fip could not deliver the products for the start of this project. We understand that the government had to step in and clean up and mess and take more money from the Lotto Funds to cover its track and get the project started.
Lets just say the project was launched last year!
As we find out more details about our friend Fip, the man is listed as a Chemical Engineer on one of his many profiles on the internet but no one could explain if this is indeed true, where he studied and when.
All we know is that nothing makes sense in this web of Synergy, the award for the contract to build the road to Amaila Falls or the Hydro Electricity but what can we say but what a tangled web we weave.
Question: Is Jagdeo exempt from submissions to integrity commission?
While this is a small picture compared to the bigger painting of corruption involving NICIL, the Office of the President and several government officials, more information is flowing as we continued our exploration of the man who promises us Hydro Electricity.
If you check our archives we were the first to alert out readers to the snail’s pace in which Hydro-electricity was being dealt with when we asked Fip to slip the swith.
As we uncover more on Fip, one official told us that the man is no stranger to being awarded government contracts. In fact, the official told us that the government ought to explain who the contracts for the supply of the two generators for the Guyana Power and Light Company were awarded to Synergy Holdings. In fact, two senior government officials raised an alarm about this but these were ignored by the forces higher up.
We are told that the two officials were frustrated to the point where a major project had to be delayed several times since Fip could not deliver the products for the start of this project. We understand that the government had to step in and clean up and mess and take more money from the Lotto Funds to cover its track and get the project started.
Lets just say the project was launched last year!
As we find out more details about our friend Fip, the man is listed as a Chemical Engineer on one of his many profiles on the internet but no one could explain if this is indeed true, where he studied and when.
All we know is that nothing makes sense in this web of Synergy, the award for the contract to build the road to Amaila Falls or the Hydro Electricity but what can we say but what a tangled web we weave.
Question: Is Jagdeo exempt from submissions to integrity commission?
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Our integrity commission
The Integrity Commission still falls under the preview of the New Garden Street Palace. Sadly, since its Commissioners were sworn in more than 4 years ago the Commission has not investigated a single politician.
The History of the life of this recent Integrity Commission started with a sorry story of Robert Corbin challenging the Constitutionality of the Commission. This is after King Jagdeo appointed the Commissioners without consulting the dear opposition Leader.
This Court action that still lingers in the wall and halls of our bugged down High Court should not have held up the Operations of the Integrity Commission but I guess it did since daily and operational orders still come from the Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Chief Henchman Luncheon.
According to the 2010 National Budget, the Integrity Commission still falls under the Office of the President budget and received just about $1.5 million annually for its operations!
Despite this we know the Commission cannot make any independent decisions or conduct any independent investigations - Bishop Randolph George resigned (never served a purpose anyway), while Fazeel Feroze keeps following King Jagdeo on his overseas trips and the wife of a Former Gun minister serves on the Commission.
NO wonder the Commission cannot check on the integrity of our politicians and one man can be a miner, dolphin exporter and real estate mogul while a New Garden Street employee can invest in a Media entity, own shares of a supermarket outside this country and has personal bank accounts in Europe.
Given the relationship between Jagdeo and Corbin, one cannot but help concluding that the court action was orchestrated - to set up the commission and to stymie its ability to function. After all neither side can afford to have an investigation!
We wonder yet again, meanwhile Guyana continues to slide in the morass of corruption.
The History of the life of this recent Integrity Commission started with a sorry story of Robert Corbin challenging the Constitutionality of the Commission. This is after King Jagdeo appointed the Commissioners without consulting the dear opposition Leader.
This Court action that still lingers in the wall and halls of our bugged down High Court should not have held up the Operations of the Integrity Commission but I guess it did since daily and operational orders still come from the Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Chief Henchman Luncheon.
According to the 2010 National Budget, the Integrity Commission still falls under the Office of the President budget and received just about $1.5 million annually for its operations!
Despite this we know the Commission cannot make any independent decisions or conduct any independent investigations - Bishop Randolph George resigned (never served a purpose anyway), while Fazeel Feroze keeps following King Jagdeo on his overseas trips and the wife of a Former Gun minister serves on the Commission.
NO wonder the Commission cannot check on the integrity of our politicians and one man can be a miner, dolphin exporter and real estate mogul while a New Garden Street employee can invest in a Media entity, own shares of a supermarket outside this country and has personal bank accounts in Europe.
Given the relationship between Jagdeo and Corbin, one cannot but help concluding that the court action was orchestrated - to set up the commission and to stymie its ability to function. After all neither side can afford to have an investigation!
We wonder yet again, meanwhile Guyana continues to slide in the morass of corruption.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
