PPP says charges against ex Ministers will be “strenuously defended”

The Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) has noted that any criminal charges brought against ex-ministers of Government “will not be the product of professional investigation but the manifestation of political vendetta and witch-hunting.”

However, the party affirmed that “if and when the charges come, they will be strenuously defended.”

The opposition political party was at the time responding to an article published in the Kaieteur News today (Saturday, February 25, 2017) titled “NICIL Fraud investigation…Former Ministers among those to be charged next week – Khemraj Ramjattan”

The party in a statement pointed out that the utterances from the Government is nothing new, however, it contradicts what was said before that “the forensic audits have not produced evidence upon which criminal charges can be instituted.”

It is the PPP’s view that this is a sign of the government buckling under tremendous public pressure as many of its initiatives and activities are failing including the recently held Mashramani celebrations.

“The Government has buckled and has chosen Ramjattan as the instrument to distract attention from the massive difficulties facing the Guyanese people and the gross incompetence and inability of the Government to address them,” the opposition said.

However, it has noted that Ramjattan’s comments are encroaching upon the constitutional mandate of other agencies as it is not the function of the Government to institute criminal charges but the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The party went on to level several accusations against the APNU+AFC administration including millions of dollars of bribes are being paid for gun licences and tint permits, bribes for contracts that do not go to public tendering under the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the involvement of family members in the state businesses.

Persons charged may never get a fair trial, the party concluded, however, it said those charges will be defended.