Jagdeo sets conditions for disclosure of his wealth

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS

By Abena Rockcliffe

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who has since become Opposition Leader, is willing to finally tell the nation all there is to know about his accumulated wealth. However, he is not prepared to be the only one travelling in the boat of accountability and transparency. Jagdeo will only make the disclosures if all other politicians in Parliament are prepared to do the same. This is essentially what Jagdeo said at a press conference he held yesterday at Freedom House. In the past, when asked about his wealth he kept promising to make disclosures, later. He is still to make those disclosures.. The Opposition Leader hosted the press conference to clear up what he deemed “misinformation” published in the media. It was reported that he promised President David Granger, during a recent meeting, to assist in efforts to recover monies that could not be accounted for under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government. Jagdeo said clearly that this was not the case.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

However, questions were posed to Jagdeo about the missing funds and in whose pockets State finances might have gone. Asked about his wealth and seaside mansion, Jagdeo claimed that his “affairs is a public book.” He said that at the meeting with President Granger, he told the President that based on the fact that there have been lots of charges about people stashing money abroad, “why don’t we get all of our Members of Parliament to make public, not just to the Integrity Commission, but to make public their assets held outside of Guyana.” Jagdeo told the media that he heard members of the new government saying that while it may be relatively easy to ascertain the extent of politicians’ wealth in Guyana, it may be quite a task to track down those assets around the world. Indeed, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had stood in the National Assembly, during Budget Debates, saying that the APNU+AFC Administration is trying to trace monies that former Government officials may have stashed in places like Abu Dhabi. Yesterday, Jagdeo said, “I am prepared to do this, to work with the government to get to know about monies around the world. And, let’s put a huge penalty for those who don’t submit accurate information or refuse to provide the information. We should table this, not in the Integrity Commission, but pass a law to deposit these affidavits in the National Assembly so any member of the public can go in and check what assets we hold abroad. I am prepared to do that.” The Opposition Leader said that he is prepared, as well, to work with the government to make it policy that every Member of Parliament must make public their payment of taxes for the past 10 years. Jagdeo wants this to be done in a similar fashion to how he wants the wealth to be revealed. “I am prepared to subject myself to any of these things. In fact I am advocating it; I am not worried about a Christopher Ram and an Anand Goolsarran”. Jagdeo even made fun of “discoveries made by the audit team. With a smile on his face, Jagdeo said, “the audit discovered I am living in Pradoville and how much I paid for the land. I have been living there for four years.” He added, “I do not think you can have much more written about me or any more accusations leveled against me than Kaieteur News has already leveled. Jagdeo is the proud owner of a seaside mansion with pool and servant quarters. He never told the nation how is it that he could have afforded such a property on his earnings.