Ramotar blasts Kaieteur News for spreading “fabrications”

…“newspaper just trying to remain relevant”

In response to a spate of articles in Kaieteur News since the PNC-led APNU/AFC Government took office, which laid numerous claims of corruption and other irregularities during his administration, former President Donald Ramotar said the Kaieteur News was desperate to retain some “relevance” in the new dispensation and had descended into “wild fabrications”.

Ramotar had recently demanded that Minister of Finance Winston Jordan “bring evidence” to buttress his claims that the audits launched by his government indicated state-owned entities violated the law “with impunity”. The former head of state pointed out the fact that Jordan had asked the Auditor General’s Office to recheck the audits, meant nothing substantial had been found up to now. In addition the Finance Minister, he said, was putting pressure on the AG’s office to go along with his premature conclusions.

In an interview with this newspaper, Ramotar said government officials like Finance Minister Jordan might be reacting to the daily onslaught by Kaieteur News demanding convictions and jail for individuals who the editor and propitiator of KN had fingered even before the elections.

“Take the case of NICIL” said Ramotar, “for years, the KN had been hounding its CEO Winston Brassington for alleged corrupt acts. But even after the audit by Goolsarran could provide no evidence of wrongdoing under the applicable laws, the Kaieteur News would not let up.”

Asked whether the tragic subsequent action by SOCU to place Brassington’s home under surveillance might have also ensued from Kaieteur News’ obsession, the former President said, “We cannot rule that out. As one who occupied the highest office in the land, on many occasions some in the government became rattled by the Kaieteur News’ manic attacks.”

Concerning the call in the latest edition of Kaieteur News for the government to “correct broadcast legislation” the former President said, “This is typical of that newspaper, which appears not to understand how institutions work. It appears that the KN owner wanted a radio licence but believe it or not, as Bibi Shadick pointed out, he never applied for one. Just because the KN said it wanted something, it thinks government must jump through hoops to have it done.”

Asked if he had any concluding statement, Ramotar said: “That newspaper is fighting for some relevance. This goes back years. It is very sad that that newspaper has now resorted to wild fabrications, which have the potential to damage people who are working to develop our country.”

Over the years, the Kaieteur News unleashed and sustained a series of attacks on NICIL and its CEO, Brassington. It has since been revealed that the attack by the local tabloid is over Brassington’s decision to take legal action against Royal Investments Inc (RII), part-owned by the newspaper’s publisher Glenn Lall and his close friend Tony Yassin after they failed to pay an outstanding balance of US$2 million for Guyana Stores Limited.

Since the government assumed office in May last, a forensic audit was launched into the operations of NICIL with the aim of unearthing corrupt practices with hopes of administering consequential penalties.

Upon the completion of the report, the Kaieteur News has been publishing a series of articles alleging corruption against the state-owned entity, using the report as reference.

But interestingly, the relevant authorities are yet to take criminal actions against those the Kaieteur News continue to implicate as corrupt.