Gov’t very committed to police probe into Simels trial disclosures – Jagdeo
Posted By Stabroek staff On September 13, 2009 @ 5:11 am In Local News | 6 Comments
President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said that his administration is “very committed” to launching an investigation into allegations made in the US during the Robert Simels trial, but it would be done by the police.
He once again staunchly rejected calls by the opposition parties to have a commission of enquiry done into all aspects of the revelations.
“From the first instance I said the police should deal with this matter. Once any act of criminality is committed on our soil, it has to be thoroughly investigated and not by a commission of inquiry [but] by the law enforcement agencies,” the President said on Thursday when asked about the issue at the commissioning of the East la Penitence health centre.
Testimony in the Simels trial has linked the government to confessed drug trafficker Roger Khan and more specifically Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy, as having been in contact with Khan and also authorising the purchase of the infamous spy equipment that was seized from Khan in 2003. Both the government and Ramsammy have denied the allegation and while testimony in the US court stated that Simels had exported the said equipment back to the US, the police and the government have stressed that the equipment is here. Commissioner of Police Henry Greene recently briefly produced two items for the media.
While speaking to reporters the President again mentioned that the Commissioner has written to his American counterparts and he has been told that he has to wait until the case is over “and we are still waiting, but he has to conduct an investigation.”
Asked why the police did not begin their investigation by merely checking the immigration records to verify entry into the country by a Carl Chapman, who court documents and testimonies indicated came to Guyana to train Khan and others on the use of the spy equipment, the President said the company that sold the equipment bears some responsibility.
He qualified his statement by adding: “We never restrict the export of the equipment, it was the US government, so assuming Ramsammy signed this letter or even Jagdeo or Luncheon and said ‘we want you to sell this equipment to Guyana’, the company had to seek permission from the US government because it was the US government that was prohibiting the export not Guyana. So even if they had my approval they still couldn’t sell it to Guyana because they had to seek permission from the exporting country. Did they seek permission? The [answer] is no, so clearly the company has to be held responsible… if you had a letter from God himself… they had to seek the US permission saying we have a request now from God and we would like to export the equipment is God the right person to export the equipment to.”
As an example to what he was talking about, the President mentioned that when Guyana wants to bring certain weapons into the country it had to seek permission from the exporting government.
“So we need to ask these questions because… you see we don’t know what went on in the US court and that’s what we are trying to find out and to get help from the US government.”
The President pointed out that Simels was convicted of witness tampering and while a lot of allegations were made the investigation has to be done on the basis of fact.
He said that Ramsammy, who was listening in on the interview, has made it clear that he is willing to subject himself to an investigation “we have said it is the police who should investigate.”
Ramsammy’s
signature
Asked what would be the position should a letter be produced with the minister’s signature giving permission to purchase the equipment, the President said: “But that’s it, we need to see the stuff. And even if he had done that, I don’t know if he had said he has not signed any such document, so we would have to… I don’t want to deal with hypothetical, I could deal with a hundred hypothetical [situations] but at this point in time what the government is committed to is to get the police to investigate . . .”
The revelations in the US court flowed mainly from the testimony of Selwyn Vaughn, a paid US informant who said he was a member of Khan’s ‘Phantom Squad’. More claims were made later when Simels took the stand in his own defence.
Vaughn made a string of disclosures including telling jurors that Khan had connections to the government through Ramsammy.
6 Comments (Open | Close)
6 Comments To "Gov’t very committed to police probe into Simels trial disclosures – Jagdeo"
#1 Comment By Dandy Andy On September 13, 2009 @ 6:01 am
Extracted: “Asked what would be the position should a letter be produced with the minister’s signature giving permission to purchase the equipment, the President said: “But that’s it, we need to see the stuff. And even if he had done that, I don’t know if he had said he has not signed any such document, so we would have to… I don’t want to deal with hypothetical, I could deal with a hundred hypothetical [situations] but at this point in time what the government is committed to is to get the police to investigate . . .”
If the government was committed it would have moved swiftly to get a copy of the letter to do a signature analysis. Had this been a case of a ranking army officer using GDF letterhead stationery to buy dangerous weapons from overseas for criminal gangs, the government would have wasted no time in getting a copy of that letter. Anyway, let us watch the Jagdeo do his last dance, shall we?
The only thing Jagdeo’s government is committed to is protecting itself against the inevitable fallout from the Khan-Simels fiasco. Right now, it is playing for time with the hope that the US would not pursue any further action against Guyanese officials for the role in Khan’s shenanigans in Guyana. As of now, Bharrat Jagdeo has zero credibility when he speaks about the Roger Khan case or even the Robert Simels case. Zero as in a big fat O!
#2 Comment By BORAPORK On September 13, 2009 @ 6:45 am
To believe the police were unaware of the level of criminality within Guyana’s borders is the taking of self-deception to the stratosphere. To then have this corrupt organization investigate the statements from the Simels trial is laughable and ridiculous. Members of the phantom gang were ex-police officers and are suspected of having an incestuous relationship with the present directorate and the ruling party. The ruling party has also shown its vindictiveness by refusing to confirm the Chief Education Officer and others in their positions and I pity the police officer who presents information that puts the government in a bad light. He/she would be banished to the Cleveland of Guyana for the rest of his career never to be heard from again. An international commission is the only way forward and forget the refuge of sovereignty as a reason.
#3 Comment By johnander On September 13, 2009 @ 6:51 am
Socialists do not believe in god, what an anology.
It seems the best way to get an international body to investigate, is for the people to call for the police to investigate, jagdeo’s natural reflex is to do opposite, he will call on the international body to investigate.
#4 Comment By amenra[jackass seh de wurl na level] On September 13, 2009 @ 6:58 am
I think the president should keep his mouth shut, because everytime he speaks he talks nonsense for a president of a country, he just don’t make sense.
#5 Comment By LIND On September 13, 2009 @ 7:22 am
so which year day or month this police investigation will take place will the Police commissioner travel to the US to gather information???????. This matter is DEAD before it starts just like all the others.
#6 Comment By Mike Persaud On September 13, 2009 @ 8:02 am
I may sound like a cynic of the govt. – but I am not. Just realistic.
Could this Police Force under Commissioner Greene conduct an investigation into the all but complete drug-takeover of the State?
This Commissioner says he has the eavesdropping equipment in his office. But everyone knows the equipment was displayed in a New York court. Which one is the dummy equipment?
The equipment was once seized from Khan’s vehicle on the ECD – but it later turned out Khan still had the equipment. Did the police return the equipment?
One month has passed since the Hogg Island boat mishap in which two men were killed and a 10-year-boy went missing. And, Commissioner Greene has still refused or failed to hold a press conference to tell the public what is going on with this case – and the President has also refused to assume the role of a take-charge president and take over the case? There are very serious allegations and credible evidentiary material suggesting these murders were done by people manning the Coast Guard vessel. One month later this nation of 700,000 souls is still waiting for answers from Commish Greene.
Now Greene would be entrusted with conducting a major major drug investigation. And, so says the President. And, so ordered by presidential decree.
Give me a break!
Article printed from Stabroek News: http://www.stabroeknews.com
URL to article: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/stories/09/13/gov%e2%80%99t-very-committed-to-police-probe-into-simels-trial-disclosures-jagdeo/
Showing posts with label judiciary Guyana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label judiciary Guyana. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
"Too often we are guilty of not effectively enforcing our laws much to the detriment of society"
Guyana Chronicle Editorial, Thursday 20 August 2009. http://www.guyanachronicle.com/editorial.html. Countering the dreaded money laundering problem
Money laundering, which is defined as the practice of disguising illegally obtained funds so that they seem legal, is one of the huge problems facing the world today and has become even more complex with the growth of the illegal drug trade and terrorism.
In response to this growing problem the Global Programme against Money Laundering (GPML) was established in1997 in response to a mandate arising from the 1988 Convention under which Member States were required to criminalise money-laundering related to the proceeds of illicit trafficking in drugs and to put legal frameworks in place to facilitate the identification, freezing, seizing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime.
Touching on the macroeconomic effects of money laundering former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus in address to Plenary Meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Money Laundering in February 1998 asserted:
“I hardly need say that the IMF regards the anti-money laundering actions advocated by the FATF as crucial for the smooth functioning of the financial markets. While we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our figures—and you have certainly a better evaluation than us—the estimates of the present scale of money laundering transactions are almost beyond imagination—2 to 5 percent of global GDP would probably be a consensus range. This scale poses two sorts of risks: one prudential, the other macroeconomic. Markets and even smaller economies can be corrupted and destabilised. We have seen evidence of this in countries and regions which have harbored large-scale criminal organisations. In the beginning, good and bad monies intermingle, and the country or region appears to prosper, but in the end Gresham’s law operates, and there is a tremendous risk that only the corrupt financiers remain. Lasting damage can clearly be done, when the infrastructure that has been built up to guarantee the integrity of the markets is lost. Even in countries that have not reached this point, the available evidence suggests that the impact of money laundering is large enough that it must be taken into account by macroeconomic policy makers. Money subject to laundering behaves in accordance with particular management principles. There is evidence that it is less productive, and therefore that it contributes minimally, to say the least, to optimisation of economic growth. Potential macroeconomic consequences of money laundering include, but are not limited to: inexplicable changes in money demand, greater prudential risks to bank soundness, contamination effects on legal financial transactions, and greater volatility of international capital flows and exchange rates due to unanticipated cross-border asset transfers.”
In Guyana, the government has recognised the implications and harmful effects of money laundering on society and moved to introduce appropriate legislation to deal with it.
In this regard, therefore the announcement by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh that the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Terrorism Act was assented to by President Bharrat Jagdeo last Friday should be good news for most people.
According to the minister this has now set the stage for government to proceed with implementation of this important piece of financial sector legislation.
Dr. Singh described the Act as modern and comprehensive, and consistent with international standards. He also stated that the provisions of the Act had benefitted from extensive examination and consideration while the Bill was before Special Select Committee in the Parliament.
According to the legislation, a person who, knowingly or having reasonable grounds to believe that property (money, investments, holdings, possessions, assets and all other property movable or immovable) is the proceeds of crime, and engages to conceal or disguise the illicit origin of that property, will be guilty of money laundering. Terrorist financing has been defined as willfully providing or collecting funds with the unlawful intention that they should be used to aid the execution of terrorist acts or in support of terrorist organisations or individuals.
The important first step in combating this scourge has been made but equally important is that those tasked with the enforcement must do so with vigour and diligence because we will be back to square one if this legislation is not enforced rigidly.
Too often we are guilty of not effectively enforcing our laws much to the detriment of society. However, in this case the consequences of not effectively enforcing the financial regulations contained within the Act could be very telling and pose a serious threat to our macroeconomic framework.
Money laundering, which is defined as the practice of disguising illegally obtained funds so that they seem legal, is one of the huge problems facing the world today and has become even more complex with the growth of the illegal drug trade and terrorism.
In response to this growing problem the Global Programme against Money Laundering (GPML) was established in1997 in response to a mandate arising from the 1988 Convention under which Member States were required to criminalise money-laundering related to the proceeds of illicit trafficking in drugs and to put legal frameworks in place to facilitate the identification, freezing, seizing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime.
Touching on the macroeconomic effects of money laundering former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus in address to Plenary Meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Money Laundering in February 1998 asserted:
“I hardly need say that the IMF regards the anti-money laundering actions advocated by the FATF as crucial for the smooth functioning of the financial markets. While we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our figures—and you have certainly a better evaluation than us—the estimates of the present scale of money laundering transactions are almost beyond imagination—2 to 5 percent of global GDP would probably be a consensus range. This scale poses two sorts of risks: one prudential, the other macroeconomic. Markets and even smaller economies can be corrupted and destabilised. We have seen evidence of this in countries and regions which have harbored large-scale criminal organisations. In the beginning, good and bad monies intermingle, and the country or region appears to prosper, but in the end Gresham’s law operates, and there is a tremendous risk that only the corrupt financiers remain. Lasting damage can clearly be done, when the infrastructure that has been built up to guarantee the integrity of the markets is lost. Even in countries that have not reached this point, the available evidence suggests that the impact of money laundering is large enough that it must be taken into account by macroeconomic policy makers. Money subject to laundering behaves in accordance with particular management principles. There is evidence that it is less productive, and therefore that it contributes minimally, to say the least, to optimisation of economic growth. Potential macroeconomic consequences of money laundering include, but are not limited to: inexplicable changes in money demand, greater prudential risks to bank soundness, contamination effects on legal financial transactions, and greater volatility of international capital flows and exchange rates due to unanticipated cross-border asset transfers.”
In Guyana, the government has recognised the implications and harmful effects of money laundering on society and moved to introduce appropriate legislation to deal with it.
In this regard, therefore the announcement by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh that the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Terrorism Act was assented to by President Bharrat Jagdeo last Friday should be good news for most people.
According to the minister this has now set the stage for government to proceed with implementation of this important piece of financial sector legislation.
Dr. Singh described the Act as modern and comprehensive, and consistent with international standards. He also stated that the provisions of the Act had benefitted from extensive examination and consideration while the Bill was before Special Select Committee in the Parliament.
According to the legislation, a person who, knowingly or having reasonable grounds to believe that property (money, investments, holdings, possessions, assets and all other property movable or immovable) is the proceeds of crime, and engages to conceal or disguise the illicit origin of that property, will be guilty of money laundering. Terrorist financing has been defined as willfully providing or collecting funds with the unlawful intention that they should be used to aid the execution of terrorist acts or in support of terrorist organisations or individuals.
The important first step in combating this scourge has been made but equally important is that those tasked with the enforcement must do so with vigour and diligence because we will be back to square one if this legislation is not enforced rigidly.
Too often we are guilty of not effectively enforcing our laws much to the detriment of society. However, in this case the consequences of not effectively enforcing the financial regulations contained within the Act could be very telling and pose a serious threat to our macroeconomic framework.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Ultimately accountable
Stabroek News Editorial, Tuesday 30 June 2009 – http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/editorial/06/29/ultimately-accountable/
Ultimately accountable
By Stabroek staff | June 29, 2009 in Editorial
http://a.stabroeknews.com/www/delivery/lg.php?bannerid=3&campaignid=1&zoneid=6&loc=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stabroeknews.com%2F2009%2Feditorial%2F06%2F29%2Fultimately-accountable%2F&cb=56ebed962e
With each passing day, the questions about whether this administration is committed to transparency and accountability grow more sonorous and with good reason. At his press conference on Friday President Jagdeo was given the opportunity to clear the air on several controversial areas which posed questions about the administration’s probity.
The first had to do with Minister Ramsammy and the claim by the former lawyer for Mr Roger Khan that he had been in contact with the Minister on certain matters. The President’s response was disappointingly dismissive. He would not, he said, launch an investigation just on any allegation otherwise there would have to be myriad investigations to take account of all such allegations. Except that the allegation made about Dr Ramsammy has come amid a stream of claims about the links between this administration and Mr Roger Khan starting with the fact that this fugitive from US law, now a confessed drug trafficker and believed to have been the number one drug lord here, was able to establish himself to the point that he was able to build houses, operate a business on an island in the Essequibo River and come within a whisker of acquiring a prime forest concession in the south of the country no doubt for the continuation of the drug business he was involved in.
On top of that, though caught red-handed with weaponry and the spy equipment that Dr Ramsammy’s name has been mentioned in connection with, Mr Khan was able to avoid a conviction and, according to him, embarked upon an extensive campaign to aid the government in its fight against crime. So is President Jagdeo’s government brave enough to risk an investigation of all the allegations of its links to Mr Roger Khan? Clearly not, although any credible investigation would have to be completely free of government influence and would have to be headed up by persons of repute and without connections to the administration.
President Jagdeo was also asked if he would now agree to an investigation of what transpired with Clico (Guyana) since the PNCR had said it was quite prepared to have an investigation done of the Globe Trust debacle. Readers may recall that when he was first tackled with the question of why no forensic investigation of Clico (Guyana) to determine exactly, among other things, how US$34M in Guyanese investments went from here to Miami instead of Clico (Bahamas), President Jagdeo most ill-advisedly said he might countenance a probe if the PNCR was also willing to have one of Globe Trust – the rub being that several persons affiliated to the PNCR were blameworthy in the collapse of the institution. The President rather naively believed that the PNCR would not risk this inconvenience but it has since called Mr Jagdeo’s bluff and is prepared for such an investigation. When asked about this on Friday President Jagdeo’s disappointing answer was that he was unaware that the PNCR was so disposed. For someone who is well in touch with the goings-on across the board and has access to wide a variety of willing sources it was disappointing that President Jagdeo was unaware of the main opposition party’s position. Even though there should have been no linkage between the two probes the question persists. When will President Jagdeo convene an inquiry into Clico (Guyana) to discover how our money got to Miami and who was withdrawing large sums in the days leading up to the placing of the business under judicial management?
Trinidad has already taken a lead on this and a forensic investigator has issued a report which has lifted the veil on some of the unsavory business practices of affiliates of the C L Financial Group. It is all the more important as the lead Clico (Guyana) executive Mrs Geeta Singh-Knight had a very positive relationship with this administration and ended up in plum positions on the Guysuco interim board and as head of the Berbice Bridge Company prior to the crisis in the group. You don’t end up in these positions in this country unless the government is in favour of it.
Third, President Jagdeo was also asked about his rather troubling disclosure at the Conference of Caribbean Police Commissioners in May that a plea bargain was in the works in relation to the polar beer case. Such a development was unknown to the public and still is.
Further, such information should have been restricted to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions and should not ideally have been within the knowing of the President. What is more relevant here, given the time and rhetoric invested in the investigation commissioned by the President is that it has fallen flatter than stale beer through a series of inexplicable events that has left the DPP’s Chambers mute on the decision to abandon the prosecution of Mr Joshua Safeek and the GRA in the dark. It is typical of many so-called investigations that have been commissioned by this government.
The aforementioned cases are only a few of the matters which the government has thrown thick blankets around. The prime one is the pressing need for an investigation of the 2002 prison break and numbing violence that followed and claimed the lives of hundreds of people. The President had signalled that a comprehensive probe would be done of the killings that demoralized the police force, the East Coast and the entire country and there is still enough time for this before the end of this administration’s term in office. Last year’s three massacres and particularly the claims about the involvement of elements of the Joint Services in the Lindo attack are ripe for a rigorous investigation.
Numerous other issues cry out for a proper reckoning. The government is yet to provide a comprehensive account to the public for the use of billions of dollars in Lotto funds, the spending on the 2005 Great Flood, the accounts for the 2007 world cup, expenditure for the 2008 Carifesta, even though millions are still owed, and whether state funds that went to the Buddy’s Hotel and the Casique Hotel have been repaid.
Questions have resurfaced this year about the large drug supply contracts that have been entered into with New GPC (NGPC) with the concurrence of the Cabinet. It is a matter of public importance as NGPC’s parent group QA11 is another of those with favoured relationships with the government as witnessed by the controversial Sanata Textiles deal and subsequent fiscal concessions which had to be specially legislated for.
All of these issues and the continuing pall of doubt they cast over the propriety of governance by this administration carry over from month to month and year to year without the government being too bothered by it. That is something that should worry all Guyanese as it means they either don’t care enough about the quality of governance to complain about it or their government is comfortable knowing that it won’t be held ultimately accountable.
Ultimately accountable
By Stabroek staff | June 29, 2009 in Editorial
http://a.stabroeknews.com/www/delivery/lg.php?bannerid=3&campaignid=1&zoneid=6&loc=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stabroeknews.com%2F2009%2Feditorial%2F06%2F29%2Fultimately-accountable%2F&cb=56ebed962e
With each passing day, the questions about whether this administration is committed to transparency and accountability grow more sonorous and with good reason. At his press conference on Friday President Jagdeo was given the opportunity to clear the air on several controversial areas which posed questions about the administration’s probity.
The first had to do with Minister Ramsammy and the claim by the former lawyer for Mr Roger Khan that he had been in contact with the Minister on certain matters. The President’s response was disappointingly dismissive. He would not, he said, launch an investigation just on any allegation otherwise there would have to be myriad investigations to take account of all such allegations. Except that the allegation made about Dr Ramsammy has come amid a stream of claims about the links between this administration and Mr Roger Khan starting with the fact that this fugitive from US law, now a confessed drug trafficker and believed to have been the number one drug lord here, was able to establish himself to the point that he was able to build houses, operate a business on an island in the Essequibo River and come within a whisker of acquiring a prime forest concession in the south of the country no doubt for the continuation of the drug business he was involved in.
On top of that, though caught red-handed with weaponry and the spy equipment that Dr Ramsammy’s name has been mentioned in connection with, Mr Khan was able to avoid a conviction and, according to him, embarked upon an extensive campaign to aid the government in its fight against crime. So is President Jagdeo’s government brave enough to risk an investigation of all the allegations of its links to Mr Roger Khan? Clearly not, although any credible investigation would have to be completely free of government influence and would have to be headed up by persons of repute and without connections to the administration.
President Jagdeo was also asked if he would now agree to an investigation of what transpired with Clico (Guyana) since the PNCR had said it was quite prepared to have an investigation done of the Globe Trust debacle. Readers may recall that when he was first tackled with the question of why no forensic investigation of Clico (Guyana) to determine exactly, among other things, how US$34M in Guyanese investments went from here to Miami instead of Clico (Bahamas), President Jagdeo most ill-advisedly said he might countenance a probe if the PNCR was also willing to have one of Globe Trust – the rub being that several persons affiliated to the PNCR were blameworthy in the collapse of the institution. The President rather naively believed that the PNCR would not risk this inconvenience but it has since called Mr Jagdeo’s bluff and is prepared for such an investigation. When asked about this on Friday President Jagdeo’s disappointing answer was that he was unaware that the PNCR was so disposed. For someone who is well in touch with the goings-on across the board and has access to wide a variety of willing sources it was disappointing that President Jagdeo was unaware of the main opposition party’s position. Even though there should have been no linkage between the two probes the question persists. When will President Jagdeo convene an inquiry into Clico (Guyana) to discover how our money got to Miami and who was withdrawing large sums in the days leading up to the placing of the business under judicial management?
Trinidad has already taken a lead on this and a forensic investigator has issued a report which has lifted the veil on some of the unsavory business practices of affiliates of the C L Financial Group. It is all the more important as the lead Clico (Guyana) executive Mrs Geeta Singh-Knight had a very positive relationship with this administration and ended up in plum positions on the Guysuco interim board and as head of the Berbice Bridge Company prior to the crisis in the group. You don’t end up in these positions in this country unless the government is in favour of it.
Third, President Jagdeo was also asked about his rather troubling disclosure at the Conference of Caribbean Police Commissioners in May that a plea bargain was in the works in relation to the polar beer case. Such a development was unknown to the public and still is.
Further, such information should have been restricted to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions and should not ideally have been within the knowing of the President. What is more relevant here, given the time and rhetoric invested in the investigation commissioned by the President is that it has fallen flatter than stale beer through a series of inexplicable events that has left the DPP’s Chambers mute on the decision to abandon the prosecution of Mr Joshua Safeek and the GRA in the dark. It is typical of many so-called investigations that have been commissioned by this government.
The aforementioned cases are only a few of the matters which the government has thrown thick blankets around. The prime one is the pressing need for an investigation of the 2002 prison break and numbing violence that followed and claimed the lives of hundreds of people. The President had signalled that a comprehensive probe would be done of the killings that demoralized the police force, the East Coast and the entire country and there is still enough time for this before the end of this administration’s term in office. Last year’s three massacres and particularly the claims about the involvement of elements of the Joint Services in the Lindo attack are ripe for a rigorous investigation.
Numerous other issues cry out for a proper reckoning. The government is yet to provide a comprehensive account to the public for the use of billions of dollars in Lotto funds, the spending on the 2005 Great Flood, the accounts for the 2007 world cup, expenditure for the 2008 Carifesta, even though millions are still owed, and whether state funds that went to the Buddy’s Hotel and the Casique Hotel have been repaid.
Questions have resurfaced this year about the large drug supply contracts that have been entered into with New GPC (NGPC) with the concurrence of the Cabinet. It is a matter of public importance as NGPC’s parent group QA11 is another of those with favoured relationships with the government as witnessed by the controversial Sanata Textiles deal and subsequent fiscal concessions which had to be specially legislated for.
All of these issues and the continuing pall of doubt they cast over the propriety of governance by this administration carry over from month to month and year to year without the government being too bothered by it. That is something that should worry all Guyanese as it means they either don’t care enough about the quality of governance to complain about it or their government is comfortable knowing that it won’t be held ultimately accountable.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The curious employment of former members of the Guyana Police Force
The curious employment of former members of the Guyana Police Force
Posted By Stabroek staff On June 16, 2009 @ 5:01 am In Editorial | 3 Comments
The recent arraignment of ex-policeman Lloyd Roberts and the issuance of a wanted bulletin for another ex-policeman− Sean Belfield, called “Backup” − both in connection with the murder of the father and son whose bodies were found in the Pomeroon River in March are the latest links in a long chain of allegations of felonies involving serving and former policemen.
Public alarm arose over six years ago when the extraordinary relationship existing between the ex-policeman Axel Williams and then Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj was uncovered. The subsequent Presidential Commission of Inquiry into allegations that the Minister had been engaged in “activities which involved the extra-judicial killing of persons” in 2005 did not receive credible evidence to enable a finding of ministerial involvement in the killings but concluded that Williams was actively involved in certain under-cover activities on Gajraj’s behalf and the “close association” which developed between the two was “unhealthy.”
Axel Williams was killed while performing those curious activities and another ex-policeman − the talkative Mark Thomas known as “Kerzorkee” − met a bizarre demise after he, along with yet another ex-policeman Sean Hinds and civilian Ashton King, were charged with the murder of Shafeek Bacchus in January 2004. The victim was the brother of the informer George Bacchus who first cast light on the criminal underworld of the ‘phantom’ death squads.
Belfield has made headline news before. While still a serving member of the Guyana Police Force in December 2002, he was arrested, along with self-confessed narco-trafficker Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan and others at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara with electronic equipment weapons and ammunition. Astonishingly, the case against the group was dismissed by magistrate Jerrick Stephney. Lloyd Roberts was also a newsmaker back in June 2006 when the Suriname police arrested him together with Belfield and yet other ex-policemen Paul Rodrigues − again with Roger Khan − and seized 213 kg of cocaine from them.
Rodrigues himself had been in the news earlier when, together with two civilians, he had been arrested in September 2004 by a police search party at a Bel Air business place which seized a quantity of firearms; millions of dollars; female police uniforms; communication equipment, a computer and seven motor vehicles. To the amazement of some, the case against the group was dismissed by magistrate Adrian Thompson.
Following a robbery of miners in the Mazaruni in which a former member of the disbanded Target Special Squad’ was implicated, then Commissioner of Police Winston Felix in December 2005 issued an extraordinary bulletin informing the public that nine ex-policemen − Eustace Abraham (also known as “Robo Cop”); Sean Belfield; Otis Grant; Collis Lindon; Seon Mayers; Eion Smith (also known as “Gangsta”); Paul Rodrigues; Myrven Vaughn; and Sheldon Williams − all of whom had been dismissed or interdicted for various acts of misconduct, were no longer empowered to perform duties as members of the Police Force.
Numerous allegations have been made of the “close association” between ex-policemen and murderous gangsters. The evidence suggests that some ex-policemen had been employed to use their enforcement talents to commit serious crimes, including unlawful killing. The abolition of the Special Squad, which seemed to have degenerated into a training school for some of these suspects, was not sufficient. There must be an investigation into the numerous serious allegations against them.
Policemen who have displayed transgressive conduct while in the Force ought not to be released onto unsuspecting society without surveillance. The recent arrests show that it is delusional to think that rogue cops can be reformed by retirement.
3 Comments (Open | Close)
3 Comments To "The curious employment of former members of the Guyana Police Force"
URL to article: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/editorial/06/16/the-curious-employment-of-former-members-of-the-guyana-police-force/
Posted By Stabroek staff On June 16, 2009 @ 5:01 am In Editorial | 3 Comments
The recent arraignment of ex-policeman Lloyd Roberts and the issuance of a wanted bulletin for another ex-policeman− Sean Belfield, called “Backup” − both in connection with the murder of the father and son whose bodies were found in the Pomeroon River in March are the latest links in a long chain of allegations of felonies involving serving and former policemen.
Public alarm arose over six years ago when the extraordinary relationship existing between the ex-policeman Axel Williams and then Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj was uncovered. The subsequent Presidential Commission of Inquiry into allegations that the Minister had been engaged in “activities which involved the extra-judicial killing of persons” in 2005 did not receive credible evidence to enable a finding of ministerial involvement in the killings but concluded that Williams was actively involved in certain under-cover activities on Gajraj’s behalf and the “close association” which developed between the two was “unhealthy.”
Axel Williams was killed while performing those curious activities and another ex-policeman − the talkative Mark Thomas known as “Kerzorkee” − met a bizarre demise after he, along with yet another ex-policeman Sean Hinds and civilian Ashton King, were charged with the murder of Shafeek Bacchus in January 2004. The victim was the brother of the informer George Bacchus who first cast light on the criminal underworld of the ‘phantom’ death squads.
Belfield has made headline news before. While still a serving member of the Guyana Police Force in December 2002, he was arrested, along with self-confessed narco-trafficker Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan and others at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara with electronic equipment weapons and ammunition. Astonishingly, the case against the group was dismissed by magistrate Jerrick Stephney. Lloyd Roberts was also a newsmaker back in June 2006 when the Suriname police arrested him together with Belfield and yet other ex-policemen Paul Rodrigues − again with Roger Khan − and seized 213 kg of cocaine from them.
Rodrigues himself had been in the news earlier when, together with two civilians, he had been arrested in September 2004 by a police search party at a Bel Air business place which seized a quantity of firearms; millions of dollars; female police uniforms; communication equipment, a computer and seven motor vehicles. To the amazement of some, the case against the group was dismissed by magistrate Adrian Thompson.
Following a robbery of miners in the Mazaruni in which a former member of the disbanded Target Special Squad’ was implicated, then Commissioner of Police Winston Felix in December 2005 issued an extraordinary bulletin informing the public that nine ex-policemen − Eustace Abraham (also known as “Robo Cop”); Sean Belfield; Otis Grant; Collis Lindon; Seon Mayers; Eion Smith (also known as “Gangsta”); Paul Rodrigues; Myrven Vaughn; and Sheldon Williams − all of whom had been dismissed or interdicted for various acts of misconduct, were no longer empowered to perform duties as members of the Police Force.
Numerous allegations have been made of the “close association” between ex-policemen and murderous gangsters. The evidence suggests that some ex-policemen had been employed to use their enforcement talents to commit serious crimes, including unlawful killing. The abolition of the Special Squad, which seemed to have degenerated into a training school for some of these suspects, was not sufficient. There must be an investigation into the numerous serious allegations against them.
Policemen who have displayed transgressive conduct while in the Force ought not to be released onto unsuspecting society without surveillance. The recent arrests show that it is delusional to think that rogue cops can be reformed by retirement.
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Guyana will not prosecute people for TIP just to satisfy US – Minister Manickchand
Guyana Chronicle top story, Wednesday 17 June 2009
http://www.guyanachronicle.com/topstory.html
Guyana will not prosecute people for TIP just to satisfy US – Minister Manickchand
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, has lashed out at the United States of America’s rating of Guyana for its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report by the US State Department which places Guyana on the Tier 2 watch list.
“Guyana objects completely to being placed on the Tier 2 watch list...we do not believe that we have trafficking on the scale that should attract the attention of the U.S., the report is inaccurate in some of its assertions: it did not give us (government) credit for all that has been done,” she stated.
At the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, President Bharrat Jagdeo had met with United States President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when he addressed the issue of the US TIP rating of Guyana.
The President had said that despite not having even three documented cases of TIP, Guyana was placed on the Tier 2 rank when it takes 100 documented cases for countries to gain US attention and be placed on this rank. After this discussion, President Jagdeo related that the US President asked Secretary of State Clinton to look into this matter.
The Government of Guyana has recognised that TIP is a crime and an inhumane activity; as such it has passed legislation which is comprehensive and holistic, the Minister said.
However, she added that while the US report states that Guyana has made “significant efforts and much progress in these departments”, it claims that in the area of prosecution and conviction the process is not satisfactory.
“We prosecute every person who can be prosecuted under the Act, who would have committed acts of trafficking; what we do not have is a large number of convictions. We cannot dictate what the Courts do, we do recognise that there are some weaknesses in the entire Judicial System in terms of how long matters take to pass through the system; and in that regard, the government is at present engaged in improving the entire Justice System through the Justice Sector Reform Strategy,” she explained.
This strategy is a large investment which, when completed, is expected to provide great improvements. It deals with the entire judiciary to see how quickly matters can be dealt with, how effective the entire system is, and how user friendly it is.
Several initiatives have been undertaken by Government to combat this crime to ensure that it does not become acceptable in Guyana’s society. These include:
* the TIP Unit, established shortly after the enactment of the TIP Act in 2005, held several seminars during 2007 to heighten public awareness of the issue and ways of recognizing and preventing it
* the Ministerial Task Force on TIP conducts reports and presents them to the Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, and these are used to review the work that Guyana has been doing in relation to this crime
* the Task Force also operates as an oversight to the TIP unit, and comprises representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Human Services and Social Security and Home Affairs, the Guyana Police Force, Food for the Poor, Help and Shelter and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
* Government is currently engaged in working with the justice administration to address having cases of TIP heard separately and outside of the “regular” legislation, which states that the case must be addressed in the district that the crime was committed
* to ensure that there is effective prosecution, Government has hired private prosecutors who are very experienced in dealing with such cases
* in 2008, Government trained over 100 focal point persons who are located in eight of the 10 regions of Guyana.
“The report recognises all of this as in terms of prevention and protection, and addressing issues of trafficking. We have progressed and all these significant steps have been made to address trafficking. “The one problem that the report has with us seems to be that we have not churned out these massive convictions, we haven’t convicted hundreds of persons and that is because we do not have hundreds of persons to convict; and to do this would mean that we have to manufacture charges to satisfy statistics; and Guyana will not be manufacturing charges against our citizens so that we can satisfy some US statistics that we should not even be on,” she declared.
Minister Manickchand added, “We, on the part of the government, are doing all that we can do. The report is very comprehensive in recognising all the various moves that we have made to prevent TIP, to protect victims, to make persons aware of the circumstances; so we do not warrant a placement on the Tier 2 watch list, because we don’t have trafficking in numbers that are considered significant… so our placement on Tier 2 is puzzling, especially since the report itself can be considered contradictory.”
Addressing the issue of prosecution and conviction which the report recognises as its main reason for placing Guyana on Tier 2, Minister Manickchand reiterated that Government will prosecute anyone found committing this crime and measures have been put in place to make people more aware of the ways of reporting it. She noted that all of these reports are recognised by the US. `
“We will continue as a government to address weaknesses in prosecution and conviction; not only of matters relating to trafficking, but our entire judicial system; we will continue to make persons aware of the harmful effects and consequences of trafficking and how it can be prevented, and where help can be received and how persons can access the services that we have; because we believe that one trafficking case is one too many; but we reject completely the US judgment of us that places us on the Tier 2 watch list,” she said. (GINA)
http://www.guyanachronicle.com/topstory.html
Guyana will not prosecute people for TIP just to satisfy US – Minister Manickchand
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, has lashed out at the United States of America’s rating of Guyana for its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report by the US State Department which places Guyana on the Tier 2 watch list.
“Guyana objects completely to being placed on the Tier 2 watch list...we do not believe that we have trafficking on the scale that should attract the attention of the U.S., the report is inaccurate in some of its assertions: it did not give us (government) credit for all that has been done,” she stated.
At the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, President Bharrat Jagdeo had met with United States President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when he addressed the issue of the US TIP rating of Guyana.
The President had said that despite not having even three documented cases of TIP, Guyana was placed on the Tier 2 rank when it takes 100 documented cases for countries to gain US attention and be placed on this rank. After this discussion, President Jagdeo related that the US President asked Secretary of State Clinton to look into this matter.
The Government of Guyana has recognised that TIP is a crime and an inhumane activity; as such it has passed legislation which is comprehensive and holistic, the Minister said.
However, she added that while the US report states that Guyana has made “significant efforts and much progress in these departments”, it claims that in the area of prosecution and conviction the process is not satisfactory.
“We prosecute every person who can be prosecuted under the Act, who would have committed acts of trafficking; what we do not have is a large number of convictions. We cannot dictate what the Courts do, we do recognise that there are some weaknesses in the entire Judicial System in terms of how long matters take to pass through the system; and in that regard, the government is at present engaged in improving the entire Justice System through the Justice Sector Reform Strategy,” she explained.
This strategy is a large investment which, when completed, is expected to provide great improvements. It deals with the entire judiciary to see how quickly matters can be dealt with, how effective the entire system is, and how user friendly it is.
Several initiatives have been undertaken by Government to combat this crime to ensure that it does not become acceptable in Guyana’s society. These include:
* the TIP Unit, established shortly after the enactment of the TIP Act in 2005, held several seminars during 2007 to heighten public awareness of the issue and ways of recognizing and preventing it
* the Ministerial Task Force on TIP conducts reports and presents them to the Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, and these are used to review the work that Guyana has been doing in relation to this crime
* the Task Force also operates as an oversight to the TIP unit, and comprises representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Human Services and Social Security and Home Affairs, the Guyana Police Force, Food for the Poor, Help and Shelter and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
* Government is currently engaged in working with the justice administration to address having cases of TIP heard separately and outside of the “regular” legislation, which states that the case must be addressed in the district that the crime was committed
* to ensure that there is effective prosecution, Government has hired private prosecutors who are very experienced in dealing with such cases
* in 2008, Government trained over 100 focal point persons who are located in eight of the 10 regions of Guyana.
“The report recognises all of this as in terms of prevention and protection, and addressing issues of trafficking. We have progressed and all these significant steps have been made to address trafficking. “The one problem that the report has with us seems to be that we have not churned out these massive convictions, we haven’t convicted hundreds of persons and that is because we do not have hundreds of persons to convict; and to do this would mean that we have to manufacture charges to satisfy statistics; and Guyana will not be manufacturing charges against our citizens so that we can satisfy some US statistics that we should not even be on,” she declared.
Minister Manickchand added, “We, on the part of the government, are doing all that we can do. The report is very comprehensive in recognising all the various moves that we have made to prevent TIP, to protect victims, to make persons aware of the circumstances; so we do not warrant a placement on the Tier 2 watch list, because we don’t have trafficking in numbers that are considered significant… so our placement on Tier 2 is puzzling, especially since the report itself can be considered contradictory.”
Addressing the issue of prosecution and conviction which the report recognises as its main reason for placing Guyana on Tier 2, Minister Manickchand reiterated that Government will prosecute anyone found committing this crime and measures have been put in place to make people more aware of the ways of reporting it. She noted that all of these reports are recognised by the US. `
“We will continue as a government to address weaknesses in prosecution and conviction; not only of matters relating to trafficking, but our entire judicial system; we will continue to make persons aware of the harmful effects and consequences of trafficking and how it can be prevented, and where help can be received and how persons can access the services that we have; because we believe that one trafficking case is one too many; but we reject completely the US judgment of us that places us on the Tier 2 watch list,” she said. (GINA)
Friday, May 1, 2009
High Court Registrar complains to HPS about Chancellor
High Court Registrar complains to HPS about Chancellor
Posted By Stabroek staff On May 1, 2009 @ 5:15 am In Local News | 24 Comments
-cites $20.9M payments for disposal of backlog cases
Embattled Supreme Court Registrar, Sita Ramlal yesterday accused the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh of poor execution of a 2005-2007programme to reduce the backlog of cases and of “enjoying the rich rewards” of $20.9M of government’s money set aside for the scheme, but the Chancellor has rejected the allegation saying that it is a malicious attempt to mislead.
Chancellor Carl Singh [1]
Chancellor Carl Singh
In a formal complaint to Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon dated April 29, 2009 Ms Ramlal alleged impropriety saying that the Chancellor executed the project lopsidedly by assigning himself most of the cases, and that he aggrandized $20.9M of the $41.2M expended by the administration for dealing with 1,394 cases of the 2778 cases that were concluded.
Ms Ramlal called for a formal investigation into the matter saying that it demeans and diminishes the Office of the Chancellor, the highest office in the judiciary.
The move by the Registrar further deepened the acrimony which enveloped the High Court in recent weeks after forgery allegations against Ms Ramlal. Legal observers say since the complaint was lodged with the HPS it could trigger uncomfortable exchanges between the executive and the judiciary.
Registrar Sita Ramlal [2]
Registrar Sita Ramlal
The government backlog reduction exercise fixed $15,000 for every case completed, and the Chancellor was tasked with assigning cases. The project commenced in 2005 and ended in 2007.
Ms Ramlal, who was charged on Monday in an alleged adoption fraud case along with former GDF Chief of Staff Norman McLean and is also currently in court challenging the powers of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of which the Chancellor is Chairman, referred to the Chancellor’s distribution of cases as inequitable and unconscionable, “given that he had more than fifty percent of the total sum expended in the exercise”.
But the acting Chancellor, who had not been informed of the complaint when Stabroek News contacted him yesterday for a comment, welcomed the call for an investigation and dismissed Ms Ramlal’s allegations for failing to give an accurate account of how the exercise was executed, while noting that approval for payment of completed cases was entirely within the control of the Registrar.
“…My efforts and my expertise which I gave to the exercise were more important than the money, which the Registrar has so improperly disclosed… and I have no apologies to make for the work that I have completed”, the acting Chancellor stated.
The Chancellor said that he worked assiduously to reduce the backlog as, “the accountability was at my desk”, noting that the backlog was the cause of grave concern to the administration, the judiciary, and the populace, “The backlog is still a burning issue”, he added.
The Chancellor questioned the timing of the Registrar’s complaint noting that the project ended some three years ago. He stated that there had been no prior complaints about assignment of cases.
“…Two years later to raise this issue has nothing more than an ulterior motive”, he added.
Justice Singh confirmed receiving the sum stated by the Registrar, but explained that he met with judges in the High Court prior to the project commencing to provide every necessary detail, adding that there were some reservations by a few judges upon hearing of the requirement to work outside of working hours.
In the complaint to Luncheon, the Registrar said that the project envisaged an equitable distribution to all judges where the work should have been executed outside normal work hours for judges; after 3 pm and on Saturdays if necessary. She said that the cases to be assigned were matters that were ripe for hearing and did not include abandoned or deserted matters.
Ms Ramlal charged that the exercise made no impact on the backlog that exists in the High Court, adding that the entire project was badly executed by the acting Chancellor, “who assigned himself most of the abandoned cases sitting in the Registry and not hearing matters, thus enjoying the rich rewards…”
She also accused him of disposing of cases which were abandoned rather than hearing matters to attract payment of the $15,000 per case, saying that these included matters that were settled and withdrawn.
However, the Chancellor noted that there was an agreement among the judges of the High Court that they would weed out the dead and abandoned cases first, before moving onto those matters ripe for hearing. Justice Singh said also that no qualifications were imposed in the exercise.
The Chancellor challenged the Registrar to produce the conditions as defined in the exercise, “conditions that she now clamours for”. He said also, that his information on the impact of the project differs from the Registrar, adding that the project significantly reduced the volume of cases in the High Court.
Further, Ramlal stated that Justice Singh is the first Chancellor in history who has assumed the jurisdiction as a High Court judge, a jurisdiction he does not have, according to her.
“What is disturbing and improper is the fact that after Justice (Ian) Chang.SC was sworn to perform the functions of the Chief Justice on December 10, 2007, the then acting Chancellor Carl Singh came down to the High Court, took over the Chief Justice’s court and worked to discharge hundreds of cases…this means that in effect there were two Chief Justices functioning at the same time”, Ms Ramlal contended.
She said that the Chancellor acted in such a manner because he had intended to clear an advance payment of $4.2M given to him on June 26, 2007 and on August 10, 2007 respectively, for cases that were not yet heard and completed.
Additionally, she charged that he flouted the law by not obeying the declaratory order of Justice William Ramlal that he could not perform the functions of Chief Justice and Chancellor at the same time by functioning as a High Court judge to dispose of cases.
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24 Comments To "High Court Registrar complains to HPS about Chancellor"
#1 Comment By Samuel Legay On May 1, 2009 @ 6:25 am
Is this a case of mouth open story jump out…this sort of behaviour does not do well for the judiciary.
#2 Comment By Bush T On May 1, 2009 @ 6:26 am
REGISTRAR V CHANCELLOR-This is going to be a block-buster.
#3 Comment By Andy On May 1, 2009 @ 7:21 am
I knew there was a public rift between the Supreme Court Registrar and Chancellor of the Judiciary, but not this deep, and this is why I asked in a published letter whether the bill to fire judges who fail to make timely decisions had anything to do with this matter.
I mean, the President could have simply called in the Chancellor and tell him to tell judges and magistrates to step up their pace or face the axe, then the Chancellor could have called a weekend Judicial Retreat for judges and magisrates and read them the riot act and formulated a plan with them to attack the backlog of cases. Instead, we now have an acting Chancellor and acting Chief Justice who could soon find they are no longer required to show up for their acting tenure.
And we also have a Registrar who is facing criminal charges for forgery and works in the Supreme Court but gets leave of absence approvals from Office of the President, which the Chancellor says is not right!
Only in Guyana, my friends, only in Guyana is OP the epicenter of much craziness!
#4 Comment By tiger On May 1, 2009 @ 7:28 am
c’om on ramlal, you your self has been charged with a criminal offence and now you’r saying that the chancellor is not doing his job as he should? why did’nt you say something about this all along? who would listen to you now that your credability is questionable.
#5 Comment By Mackiedog - Prof. One Luv On May 1, 2009 @ 7:31 am
What a disgrace to the legal system in Guyana. The nation is going down road.
#6 Comment By navyseal On May 1, 2009 @ 7:32 am
Hey folks when is the next episode. We got the feeling. Any bets here? It heading for a showdown.
#7 Comment By NeNe On May 1, 2009 @ 7:37 am
Sita gal, keep talking. These are some serious allegations and merit an immediate audit at the very least. What is Luncheon waiting for - oh I fogot he is just a puppet in the grand scheme of things in Guyana. The story will end with Ramlal being made the scapegoat.
#8 Comment By evileyes On May 1, 2009 @ 7:40 am
wow…so de govt did give money…we stay tuned to hear mo on wat govt did and didnt do…
#9 Comment By SWAT On May 1, 2009 @ 7:54 am
Does this lady has credibility…I don’t think so? For anyone to believe her..I don’t think so.
#10 Comment By zetou On May 1, 2009 @ 7:58 am
This is nothing short of amazing!
The whole system wants a major shakeup, it is disgraceful! Separation of powers is dead.
This is just burning up for a movie-any takers?
#11 Comment By JACKIE On May 1, 2009 @ 8:08 am
She knew all this 2 years ago and said nothing? Shame on her! Shame on every one of them!!
#12 Comment By Pilot 230 On May 1, 2009 @ 8:33 am
Sita is a very smart woman,she is not going to let them make her the scapegoat.Don’t forget she is from the inside and knows all the facts. I wish her well.
#13 Comment By catwomanmaneater On May 1, 2009 @ 8:33 am
fuh real!!!!!!wopnder how come sita so contentious..even before she got her high position people always complaing abpout her…it reamis to b seen what will happen..from what i hear she’s a powerhouse!!!!!!!
#14 Comment By Sarkar On May 1, 2009 @ 8:34 am
Ahhh! Finally coming together eh? Now let’s wait and see who has more spungs and ropes. Watch her go wild with delegated authority!! Think the Actors will lift their heads above water? Typical case of ‘you cross me and see what I do to you’?
#15 Comment By Desiree Liverpool On May 1, 2009 @ 8:36 am
Sita do not want to go down alone lol.
#16 Comment By Bush T On May 1, 2009 @ 8:48 am
SING SITA,SING!This is the way to go.The more you sing the better for you.The Plea bargain law is in operation. Mr Luncheon has more on his plate,than he can handle.Sita’s complaint should be properly investigated,even though it took a long time.Best news for a long time.
#17 Comment By Witch DR. On May 1, 2009 @ 8:59 am
so what,the Grapes sour now Sita?
#18 Comment By Macushi On May 1, 2009 @ 9:27 am
how can they try those backlogged cases. Those cases that are over 5 years should be dismissed.
#19 Comment By Brandon Samaroo On May 1, 2009 @ 9:44 am
hmmmm why is sita waiting till now to come out with this?
Interesting and I am glad that she finally is speaking up against this but….nonetheless it seems a bit self interest driven.
#20 Comment By decanadianCarlVeecock On May 1, 2009 @ 9:45 am
“She also accused him of disposing of cases which were
abandoned rather than hearing matters to attract payment of
the $15,000 per case, saying that these included matters that
were settled and withdrawn”
I think that this is the most damning accusation, one whcih
could easily be verified. Really doing nothing for the big pay
of $15k:
1. the cases were abandoned
2. the cases were settled
3. the cases were withdrawn.
All he had to do was to write “Matter closed”, then collect
the $15k.
But….this is Guyana and twists and turns happen all the time.
That time will be argued as being of the essence is clear.
Why bring this up now after two years?
Back to chess basics…strategy and tactics at play.
Singh got more clout and contacts, though not the best player.
Ramlall gat to resign. She cannot win. She wait too long to
make her move. Game over!
#21 Comment By malaika06 On May 1, 2009 @ 9:46 am
This is a big disgrace! More smears on an already tarnished judiciary. Someone tell me if I am correct, sorry for the ignorance;
The Guyana government set aside $41.2M TAXPAYERS money to expedite backlog cases for the 2005 - 2007 years. This money I figure was for overtime work to be divvied up among the sitting judges and the Chancellor/Chief Justice took HALF of the cases earning $20M for himself and still there’s a BACKLOG???????
SICK! SICK! SICK I’m running out of puke bags.
Yes mouth open story jump out.
#22 Comment By Evan Thomas On May 1, 2009 @ 9:48 am
Never in the history of the Guyana judiciary has it gone to such low. Mouth open story jump out, let’s see what else will come out. never mess with a spurned woman. and let’s see how the government will deal with this public case ….nearly $21 million alone for himself…good griefs!!!!
#23 Comment By Cheryl On May 1, 2009 @ 9:53 am
Sita’s case is still in the making,can a chancellor preform in two unrelated positions.?
Carl better be careful,it seems Sita has strong allegations against Carl, maybe Carl had either something to say concerning her case, (which is up coming,) or intends to.
No wonder many cases are backed up, prisoners, (whether guilty or not,) are in remand for years, while tax payers continues to have their pockets fleeched to upkeep prisoners.
This matter should never have gone public.
#24 Comment By john brown On May 1, 2009 @ 9:58 am
ms Ramlall is just one sour person. she thought she was untouchable until reality stepped in. why would anybody believe her now, why did didn’t she complain all the time.
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Posted By Stabroek staff On May 1, 2009 @ 5:15 am In Local News | 24 Comments
-cites $20.9M payments for disposal of backlog cases
Embattled Supreme Court Registrar, Sita Ramlal yesterday accused the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh of poor execution of a 2005-2007programme to reduce the backlog of cases and of “enjoying the rich rewards” of $20.9M of government’s money set aside for the scheme, but the Chancellor has rejected the allegation saying that it is a malicious attempt to mislead.
Chancellor Carl Singh [1]
Chancellor Carl Singh
In a formal complaint to Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon dated April 29, 2009 Ms Ramlal alleged impropriety saying that the Chancellor executed the project lopsidedly by assigning himself most of the cases, and that he aggrandized $20.9M of the $41.2M expended by the administration for dealing with 1,394 cases of the 2778 cases that were concluded.
Ms Ramlal called for a formal investigation into the matter saying that it demeans and diminishes the Office of the Chancellor, the highest office in the judiciary.
The move by the Registrar further deepened the acrimony which enveloped the High Court in recent weeks after forgery allegations against Ms Ramlal. Legal observers say since the complaint was lodged with the HPS it could trigger uncomfortable exchanges between the executive and the judiciary.
Registrar Sita Ramlal [2]
Registrar Sita Ramlal
The government backlog reduction exercise fixed $15,000 for every case completed, and the Chancellor was tasked with assigning cases. The project commenced in 2005 and ended in 2007.
Ms Ramlal, who was charged on Monday in an alleged adoption fraud case along with former GDF Chief of Staff Norman McLean and is also currently in court challenging the powers of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of which the Chancellor is Chairman, referred to the Chancellor’s distribution of cases as inequitable and unconscionable, “given that he had more than fifty percent of the total sum expended in the exercise”.
But the acting Chancellor, who had not been informed of the complaint when Stabroek News contacted him yesterday for a comment, welcomed the call for an investigation and dismissed Ms Ramlal’s allegations for failing to give an accurate account of how the exercise was executed, while noting that approval for payment of completed cases was entirely within the control of the Registrar.
“…My efforts and my expertise which I gave to the exercise were more important than the money, which the Registrar has so improperly disclosed… and I have no apologies to make for the work that I have completed”, the acting Chancellor stated.
The Chancellor said that he worked assiduously to reduce the backlog as, “the accountability was at my desk”, noting that the backlog was the cause of grave concern to the administration, the judiciary, and the populace, “The backlog is still a burning issue”, he added.
The Chancellor questioned the timing of the Registrar’s complaint noting that the project ended some three years ago. He stated that there had been no prior complaints about assignment of cases.
“…Two years later to raise this issue has nothing more than an ulterior motive”, he added.
Justice Singh confirmed receiving the sum stated by the Registrar, but explained that he met with judges in the High Court prior to the project commencing to provide every necessary detail, adding that there were some reservations by a few judges upon hearing of the requirement to work outside of working hours.
In the complaint to Luncheon, the Registrar said that the project envisaged an equitable distribution to all judges where the work should have been executed outside normal work hours for judges; after 3 pm and on Saturdays if necessary. She said that the cases to be assigned were matters that were ripe for hearing and did not include abandoned or deserted matters.
Ms Ramlal charged that the exercise made no impact on the backlog that exists in the High Court, adding that the entire project was badly executed by the acting Chancellor, “who assigned himself most of the abandoned cases sitting in the Registry and not hearing matters, thus enjoying the rich rewards…”
She also accused him of disposing of cases which were abandoned rather than hearing matters to attract payment of the $15,000 per case, saying that these included matters that were settled and withdrawn.
However, the Chancellor noted that there was an agreement among the judges of the High Court that they would weed out the dead and abandoned cases first, before moving onto those matters ripe for hearing. Justice Singh said also that no qualifications were imposed in the exercise.
The Chancellor challenged the Registrar to produce the conditions as defined in the exercise, “conditions that she now clamours for”. He said also, that his information on the impact of the project differs from the Registrar, adding that the project significantly reduced the volume of cases in the High Court.
Further, Ramlal stated that Justice Singh is the first Chancellor in history who has assumed the jurisdiction as a High Court judge, a jurisdiction he does not have, according to her.
“What is disturbing and improper is the fact that after Justice (Ian) Chang.SC was sworn to perform the functions of the Chief Justice on December 10, 2007, the then acting Chancellor Carl Singh came down to the High Court, took over the Chief Justice’s court and worked to discharge hundreds of cases…this means that in effect there were two Chief Justices functioning at the same time”, Ms Ramlal contended.
She said that the Chancellor acted in such a manner because he had intended to clear an advance payment of $4.2M given to him on June 26, 2007 and on August 10, 2007 respectively, for cases that were not yet heard and completed.
Additionally, she charged that he flouted the law by not obeying the declaratory order of Justice William Ramlal that he could not perform the functions of Chief Justice and Chancellor at the same time by functioning as a High Court judge to dispose of cases.
24 Comments (Open | Close)
24 Comments To "High Court Registrar complains to HPS about Chancellor"
#1 Comment By Samuel Legay On May 1, 2009 @ 6:25 am
Is this a case of mouth open story jump out…this sort of behaviour does not do well for the judiciary.
#2 Comment By Bush T On May 1, 2009 @ 6:26 am
REGISTRAR V CHANCELLOR-This is going to be a block-buster.
#3 Comment By Andy On May 1, 2009 @ 7:21 am
I knew there was a public rift between the Supreme Court Registrar and Chancellor of the Judiciary, but not this deep, and this is why I asked in a published letter whether the bill to fire judges who fail to make timely decisions had anything to do with this matter.
I mean, the President could have simply called in the Chancellor and tell him to tell judges and magistrates to step up their pace or face the axe, then the Chancellor could have called a weekend Judicial Retreat for judges and magisrates and read them the riot act and formulated a plan with them to attack the backlog of cases. Instead, we now have an acting Chancellor and acting Chief Justice who could soon find they are no longer required to show up for their acting tenure.
And we also have a Registrar who is facing criminal charges for forgery and works in the Supreme Court but gets leave of absence approvals from Office of the President, which the Chancellor says is not right!
Only in Guyana, my friends, only in Guyana is OP the epicenter of much craziness!
#4 Comment By tiger On May 1, 2009 @ 7:28 am
c’om on ramlal, you your self has been charged with a criminal offence and now you’r saying that the chancellor is not doing his job as he should? why did’nt you say something about this all along? who would listen to you now that your credability is questionable.
#5 Comment By Mackiedog - Prof. One Luv On May 1, 2009 @ 7:31 am
What a disgrace to the legal system in Guyana. The nation is going down road.
#6 Comment By navyseal On May 1, 2009 @ 7:32 am
Hey folks when is the next episode. We got the feeling. Any bets here? It heading for a showdown.
#7 Comment By NeNe On May 1, 2009 @ 7:37 am
Sita gal, keep talking. These are some serious allegations and merit an immediate audit at the very least. What is Luncheon waiting for - oh I fogot he is just a puppet in the grand scheme of things in Guyana. The story will end with Ramlal being made the scapegoat.
#8 Comment By evileyes On May 1, 2009 @ 7:40 am
wow…so de govt did give money…we stay tuned to hear mo on wat govt did and didnt do…
#9 Comment By SWAT On May 1, 2009 @ 7:54 am
Does this lady has credibility…I don’t think so? For anyone to believe her..I don’t think so.
#10 Comment By zetou On May 1, 2009 @ 7:58 am
This is nothing short of amazing!
The whole system wants a major shakeup, it is disgraceful! Separation of powers is dead.
This is just burning up for a movie-any takers?
#11 Comment By JACKIE On May 1, 2009 @ 8:08 am
She knew all this 2 years ago and said nothing? Shame on her! Shame on every one of them!!
#12 Comment By Pilot 230 On May 1, 2009 @ 8:33 am
Sita is a very smart woman,she is not going to let them make her the scapegoat.Don’t forget she is from the inside and knows all the facts. I wish her well.
#13 Comment By catwomanmaneater On May 1, 2009 @ 8:33 am
fuh real!!!!!!wopnder how come sita so contentious..even before she got her high position people always complaing abpout her…it reamis to b seen what will happen..from what i hear she’s a powerhouse!!!!!!!
#14 Comment By Sarkar On May 1, 2009 @ 8:34 am
Ahhh! Finally coming together eh? Now let’s wait and see who has more spungs and ropes. Watch her go wild with delegated authority!! Think the Actors will lift their heads above water? Typical case of ‘you cross me and see what I do to you’?
#15 Comment By Desiree Liverpool On May 1, 2009 @ 8:36 am
Sita do not want to go down alone lol.
#16 Comment By Bush T On May 1, 2009 @ 8:48 am
SING SITA,SING!This is the way to go.The more you sing the better for you.The Plea bargain law is in operation. Mr Luncheon has more on his plate,than he can handle.Sita’s complaint should be properly investigated,even though it took a long time.Best news for a long time.
#17 Comment By Witch DR. On May 1, 2009 @ 8:59 am
so what,the Grapes sour now Sita?
#18 Comment By Macushi On May 1, 2009 @ 9:27 am
how can they try those backlogged cases. Those cases that are over 5 years should be dismissed.
#19 Comment By Brandon Samaroo On May 1, 2009 @ 9:44 am
hmmmm why is sita waiting till now to come out with this?
Interesting and I am glad that she finally is speaking up against this but….nonetheless it seems a bit self interest driven.
#20 Comment By decanadianCarlVeecock On May 1, 2009 @ 9:45 am
“She also accused him of disposing of cases which were
abandoned rather than hearing matters to attract payment of
the $15,000 per case, saying that these included matters that
were settled and withdrawn”
I think that this is the most damning accusation, one whcih
could easily be verified. Really doing nothing for the big pay
of $15k:
1. the cases were abandoned
2. the cases were settled
3. the cases were withdrawn.
All he had to do was to write “Matter closed”, then collect
the $15k.
But….this is Guyana and twists and turns happen all the time.
That time will be argued as being of the essence is clear.
Why bring this up now after two years?
Back to chess basics…strategy and tactics at play.
Singh got more clout and contacts, though not the best player.
Ramlall gat to resign. She cannot win. She wait too long to
make her move. Game over!
#21 Comment By malaika06 On May 1, 2009 @ 9:46 am
This is a big disgrace! More smears on an already tarnished judiciary. Someone tell me if I am correct, sorry for the ignorance;
The Guyana government set aside $41.2M TAXPAYERS money to expedite backlog cases for the 2005 - 2007 years. This money I figure was for overtime work to be divvied up among the sitting judges and the Chancellor/Chief Justice took HALF of the cases earning $20M for himself and still there’s a BACKLOG???????
SICK! SICK! SICK I’m running out of puke bags.
Yes mouth open story jump out.
#22 Comment By Evan Thomas On May 1, 2009 @ 9:48 am
Never in the history of the Guyana judiciary has it gone to such low. Mouth open story jump out, let’s see what else will come out. never mess with a spurned woman. and let’s see how the government will deal with this public case ….nearly $21 million alone for himself…good griefs!!!!
#23 Comment By Cheryl On May 1, 2009 @ 9:53 am
Sita’s case is still in the making,can a chancellor preform in two unrelated positions.?
Carl better be careful,it seems Sita has strong allegations against Carl, maybe Carl had either something to say concerning her case, (which is up coming,) or intends to.
No wonder many cases are backed up, prisoners, (whether guilty or not,) are in remand for years, while tax payers continues to have their pockets fleeched to upkeep prisoners.
This matter should never have gone public.
#24 Comment By john brown On May 1, 2009 @ 9:58 am
ms Ramlall is just one sour person. she thought she was untouchable until reality stepped in. why would anybody believe her now, why did didn’t she complain all the time.
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