– cites conflict of interest

Leader Khemraj Ramjattan
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Monday said it was still awaiting a response from Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman about the conflict-of-interest claims involving Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan and member Cathy Hughes.
General Secretary Clement Rohee said the PPP, through its Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, had written to Speaker Trotman, calling on him to refer both Hughes and Ramjattan to the Committee of Privileges over two matters of conflict of interest. According to Rohee, Hughes’ company was hired to handle the public relations of Sithe Global, a company working with the Government on the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project,; while her husband, Nigel Hughes, was employed as the Company Secretary on the same project. However, neither of these financial interests was voluntarily made public.
“Neither of these pecuniary interests were made public at the time of the debate on the first hydroelectric bill and the debt ceiling motion which were defeated, nor on the second hydroelectric bill, which was passed as the debt ceiling motion, which was amended by the AFC.”
Rohee said the House and public have every right to be made aware of the pecuniary interest of Hughes as she had benefited financially from such an engagement. More than that, he said, the party takes note of such transgression by Members of Parliament (MPs), citing the Erskine May Parliamentary Practice, which states that the offer of money to any parliamentarian for the promotion of any matter whatsoever to be transacted in Parliament is considered a crime.

member Cathy Hughes