I’m taking the lie detector test: Where is Khurshid Sattaur?

I ran into a group of PPP leaders who insisted that I should take a lie detector test since I am the one always making the accusations. I thought that was fair enough. I have agreed. They did however make the point that since the GRA boss, Khurshid Sattaur, fired the first salvo claiming I built a mansion-home, he should oblige by taking the test also.

These PPP leaders did not concede to a third party framing the question. They were brutally frank – “Freddie since you do not have anything to hide, we will draft the questions and nothing personal will be included.” Again I conceded.
They say that the polygraph will be used for certain state employees in the coming months and at that time, they will arrange for me and Khurshid Sattaur to undergo the process. The polygraph will not find me lying. Here are my answers.

Q- How many homes do you have? A- Only one and first owned it in 2007. Q- Where did the money to build the house come from? A- Entirely from the savings of my wife and I; she began working in 1984, I in 1986.

Q- How many full-time jobs you have? A- Only one. Q- How many full-time jobs you had in the past. A- Only one since 1986 and that is at UG.

Q- How many cars do you own? A- One only. Q- At any stage in your life, did you own more than one car? A-Never did.

Q- How many cars does your wife own? A-She never owned a car.

Q- How did you get the car you presently drive and when? A- Was duty free because of teaching at Berbice University and acquired in 2000. Q- How often have you changed your duty free car since 2000? A- Still have the same car.

Q- What kind of car does your daughter own and how did she get it? A- Toyota Starlet; bought second hand from a prominent name in Guyanese cricket and had to spend a lot to repair it.

Q- How much money do you own outside of Guyana? A- Don’t have a cent in my name outside of the land.

Q- During your tenure as a UG lecturer how many consultancies you did and was UG informed. A- Never did consultancies, not even one

Q- How much is your investment portfolio worth? A- Do not have any investments whatsoever?

Q- How much is your insurance portfolio worth? A- Have no insurance whatsoever apart from basic car insurance.
At anytime in your life did you ever receive a substantial amount of cash from persons whose business ventures were not traditionally known in Guyana and there were questions marks about the income of these people? A- Never associated with such types; never got money from such types.

Q- Were you ever at anytime in your life associated with a person suspected of trafficking in narcotics? A- I am not aware of any of the friends I have or had in the past who were involved in such crimes but if they are, I am not aware of it and I do not hear anyone in my associations making such accusations.

Q- Do you have friends that are very wealthy, live in mansions and spend money in a way that would make the society believe that they are engaged in dubious practices? A- All my close friends are in the same income-bracket as I am. Q- How much are your personal accoutrements worth like jewelry etc? A- Only possess two gold items; the UG President’s Medal for Best Graduating Student and my wedding ring.

Q- Was the land on which you built your house given to you as a gift? A- No, bought from a prominent medical doctor and I would say that the cost was above market value but the doctor could have sold it to higher bidders?

Q- Did businessmen build your house for you? A- Absolutely not; not lucky to have such persons as friends though I would like to. Q- How many television sets do you have in the house and what types are they and how much do they cost? Two; they are the Sharp model, normal type of 20 inches that you find in any store.

Q- How expensive is your computer set-up? A- Have an aging computer system since 2001 that is constantly being repaired by the UG technicians also have a laptop manufactured in 1998. Q- When last you took a holiday and what was the expenditure? A- Only one and it was in 1998 in Wakenaam. Q- Have you seen Kaieteur Falls? A- No, can’t afford it. Q- Do you have lots of money? A- No, need plenty of it right now.