As the Police investigation continues into allegations of the million payment fraud, Deeds Registrar Azeema Baksh has since denied any wrongdoing. This was detailed in a statement issued on her behalf by her lawyer, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, on Thursday.
It was alleged that Baksh unlawfully paid herself a higher salary than was approved by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). These payments reportedly started in 2014 and continued up to the present, totalling almost $4.5 million.
Additionally, it was claimed that the Deeds Registrar also waived some $7 million of revenue owed to the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority (DCRA). The request was alleged made by an attorney who owed some $8.5 million, but only paid the Authority $1.5 million.
Deeds Registrar Azeena Baksh and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams back in 2015
However, Baksh has refuted both of these allegations. “Ms Baksh strenuously denies the allegations and will continue to provide the Guyana Police Force with all the documentation and other material to confirm her innocence,” the public missive from her lawyer outlined.
In fact, Hughes pointed out that on February 13, 2013, the then Cabinet had taken a decision that all staff of the Deeds Registry who opted to transfer to the Deeds and Commercial Registries would be paid severance and would be offered contract gratuity appointments.
He continued that pursuant to the issuance of that Cabinet memo, the staff of the Deeds and Commercial Registries were written to by the Permanent Secretary of the Legal Affairs Ministry on May 19, 2014, providing them with two options – either refuse the offer of employment with the Deeds and Commercial Registries and be transferred to another Government Ministry or Department, or accept employment with the Deeds and Commercial Registries and receive severance under the termination and severance act.
“Ms Baksh accepted the offer of employment with the Deeds and Commercial Registry and was paid severance in keeping with the offer from the Permanent Secretary of Legal Affairs. The payment of salaries for the staff of the Deeds Registry is prepared by the Human Resources Department and submitted to the Finance Department for disbursement of salaries,” Attorney Hughes pointed out.
He went on to underscore that Baksh did not have the authority to direct the Human Resources Department or the Finance Department, to make any payment of salaries. These Departments, he added, report to the Governing Board of the DCRA. The lawyer noted too that his client never authorised the Human Resources Department to place any member of the Deeds and Commercial Registries on the payroll.
Nevertheless, Hughes stated that Baksh was invited by the Head of the Fraud Department of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday for an interview, which she attended and the allegation that she had wrongfully authorised the payment of her own salary on a contract basis – when she was still a member of the permanent establishment – was put to her.
The Attorney said the Deeds Registrar denied the allegation and undertook to provide the Police with all the documentations relating to the Cabinet decision, the offer of severance and the payment of her salary.
Hughes further stated that the following day, his client returned to the CID Headquarters where she provided the Police with copies of the Cabinet memo, the offer from the PS of the Legal Affairs Ministry and other pertinent documents. However, he noted that on neither of those days, no allegation of any waiver of fees or waiver of any monies due to the Registry or the Government was ever put to Baksh during the interviews with the Police.
Meanwhile, also commenting on the issue, former Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, under whose tenure Baksh was appointed, explained that whatever remuneration package the Deeds Registrar was enjoying came out of consultations with the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) prior to her, along with other staff members, transferring to the DCRA.
