Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 06, 2015 News
By Abena Rockcliffe
Former President, Donald Ramotar sees no wrong in the People Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C) action when it leased Red House to a company controlled by Party members, yet continued to allow the state to foot the bill for workers’ salary.
He said this yesterday during a telephone interview with Kaieteur News.
Ramotar admitted that he was fully aware of the process which was not made public until discovered by the new government.
During the interview yesterday, the former President said, “I see nothing wrong with what was done. What is so wrong with giving a lease?”
Pointing to the fact that the building was leased for just a measly $1000 per month, Ramotar said “I still do not see anything wrong with that, I do not see what all the noise is about.”
Building his defence, Ramotar pointed to the fact that the PPP/C government had given five acres of land to the Burnham family.
“We gave five acres of land to the Burnham family, to Viola Burnham; and what did they do? That family sold it for a profit. But we did not hear noise about that. We did not sell Red House we leased it.”
Questioned about the PPPC government’s decision to continue paying the staff, Ramotar responded, “Well if the new government does not want to pay the staff anymore that’s their business, I cannot do anything about that.”
He said that the Cheddi Jagan Research Center did lots in facilitating research for many local students and foreigners and is in honour of an extraordinary human being.
However, Ramotar dodged the question as to whether the government which he was leading was not doing a good enough job running Red House.
The PPP’s action was revealed when Minister of State Joseph Harmon took the floor during the Budget debates.
The Minister told the House that the PPP/C administration spent tens of millions of dollars over the years to renovate the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (Red House) which remained state property until 2012. During that year, a company was established named ‘Cheddi Jagan Research Inc.’ and the building was leased by the PPP to that company. The lease agreement has duration of 99 years at a cost of only $1000 monthly. This will add up to $12,000 per year and $1,188,000 over the 99-year period. This will not be even a quarter of what was spent to build, renovate and maintain the building over the years.
Apart from this, Harmon said that the entity’s staff remained on the job and were still being paid by the State.
Harmon said it is clear, the direction of the transaction since the Board involved top executives of the PPP including Geoffrey Da Silva, the late Janet Jagan, Ramotar, James Rose, Michael Khan, Hydar Ally and Ralph Ramkarran, among others.
Ramotar was President at the time he assumed membership of the Board.
When Members of Parliament found out about the lease, they became incensed.
Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, was perhaps the loudest heckler during this time shouting things like “thief”, “shame”, “barefaced thieves” and “bam bam!”
The late Dr. Cheddi Jagan is the founder of the Red House. Members of the government said that the PPP’s “theft” of the site is a dishonour to the late President.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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