“I have absolutely no fear” – Dr Ashni Singh on charges

…”We did no wrong” – Winston Brassington

Moments after being released on bail, former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh expressed confidence that the charges brought against him will be disposed of in the near future because he feels they are frivolous and have no bearing.

Speaking with the media on Tuesday, Dr Singh said he discharged his functions as a Minister of Government and public servant diligently and in accordance with the law at all times.
“I have no fear whatsoever about the discharge of my duties being subjected to the ultimate degree of scrutiny… I have absolutely no reservation about that and I have absolutely no fear,” he added.
The former Minister said the court proceedings on Tuesday are significant in Guyana’s history.
Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICIL Winston Brassington also stated “I voluntarily came. We did no wrong. The evidence speaks for itself. In time I believe we will be vindicated.”
Singh, on the other hand, also defended the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government stating, “it has absolutely no difficulty with our period in office being subjected to the ultimate scrutiny, but noted that the three matters that are the subject of the current proceedings are not a sudden discovery.”
“These transactions were publicly disclosed by a variety of means. They were published in an extremely comprehensive document produced by Mr. Brassington on privatisation transactions,” he said.
As far as privatisation transactions are concerned, that publication, according to Dr Singh, is without comparison in the degree of detail and the level of transparency displayed in that document.
Dr Singh noted that all the information was publicly disclosed by the PPP/C Government, as well as all of other privatisation transactions. “I hasten to add, unlike our predecessors in office and now our successors in office, our privatisation transactions in office were subject to full transparency and scrutiny, and we will always defend the calls of transparency and openness in Government.”
Further, the former Minister noted that Brassington has already written a letter that has set out in great detail the tremendous development, positive developmental impact of transactions such as this. This letter he referred to was published in most daily national newspapers.
Furthermore, Singh described the actions by Government as “rule by innuendo, insinuation, and intimidation.” He said these innuendos have been uttered and repeated.

“For example, that attempts had been made to contact Brassington and Singh since 2015. Both of us are on public records as having had our lawyers writing the relevant agencies to say in the event you need to contact these two gentlemen, we are their legal representatives. You may contact us and no attempt whatsoever was made to contact us. But the innuendo keeps being repeated,” he observed.
He further added that he is confident that Guyanese will not fall for such schemes, while positing that if these “frivolous” transactions are considered “misconduct in office” then “I shudder to think of the number of instances of misconduct in public office that are being committed right now.”
According to him, “They’re setting a bar as it relates to misconduct in public office which they themselves are wholly incapable of applying, and achieving and adhering…And so you need to ask yourself what is the assumption that they are making related to their own tenure in office because anybody who behaves like this clearly believes that they will never have to answer to the people of Guyana.”