The Office of the President is urging Guyanese to reject statements by ex-employee Judson Lohmeyer concerning the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project, labelling his behaviour “unethical and immoral”.
Lohmeyer, a U.S. citizen, is accused of threatening to blackmail the government by leaking information on the highly-touted OLPF project. Media reports have quoted Lohmeyer as saying that he resigned from the employ of the Office of the President after recognising that there were two plans: one to outsource the OLPF, and the other which he was involved in. He claims that he was paid a hefty US$100,000 a year.
According to one newspaper report, the man said the project has become “a political gimmick that is turning into a pay-to-pay game where everyone is getting big money.”
“OP is thus advising Guyanese to reject his disclosures and to judge him for the unscrupulous person his behaviour revealed,” Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, has said in a statement.
Luncheon said Lohmeyer’s letter to the OP, dated February 25, 2011, was “soliciting with malice” when he threatened to expose aspects of the project to the media, unless he was paid his severance benefits, which amount to some US$9000. According to Dr Luncheon, the consultant’s departure from the job was inevitable owing to “poor performance and misrepresentation about his qualifications.” He resigned in November 2010. The letter addressed to Stephen Grim, current project manager, reads:
“Hi Steve:
I was wondering if this might not be an auspicious time to approach you on reconsidering making full reparations on my consulting agreement. I gave proper 30-day notice. It was you who elected not to have me work those days. That does not forfeit the 30-day payment.
I’m in great demand for comments and interviews on the goings on at OLPF and OP. While I believe my work and discussions are confidential, that is only valid if the terms and obligations of the consulting agreement are fulfilled. I find GoG in default. I am only holding GoG accountable for the contract; in fact, I have evidence that you acted in bad faith by interfering with my ability to perform my duties as Project Manager hence forcing me to resign. As far as I’m concerned, you personally owe me the full value of the consulting agreement.
This e-mail serves as final notice to GoG that it is in default on the consulting agreement between myself and the OP by failing to make full reparations.
Thanks,
Jud Lohmeyer”
The Office of the President, maintains that “this foolish attempt by this individual is unlikely to impair the administration’s commitment to the One Laptop Per Family initiative.”
Lohmeyer worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer before he was hired, at inception of the OLPF project.
President Bharrat Jagdeo, in 2010, committed some US$30 million over the next three years to purchase 90,000 laptops for poor families.
The One Laptop Per Family project created much controversy, with politicians and government critics spewing remarks about transparency issues.
