Meeting urged between TIGI and Harmon 

… to address “outrageous claims” of Govt corruption

Following President David Granger’s pronouncements, political commentator Ramon Gaskin is urging the local transparency body to meet with State Minister Joseph Harmon to engage in discussions related to the ongoing controversy and the corruption claims.
In an invited comment on the matter on Saturday, Gaskin explained that since the President recommended that the Transparency Institute of Guyana (TIGI) meet with Harmon, then the non-governmental organisation should so comply in order to gain the answers they seek.
“He said that TIGI should go and see Harmon and I think that TIGI should go and see him and put the questions to Harmon and let him answer… cause Harmon is not saying anything so that’s what should be done,” he stated.
Guyana Times also contacted TIGI for a comment on Granger’s response to their corruption claims; however, its President, Reverend Compton Meerabux declined to offer any statement until he discusses the matter with the entire executive body.
Nonetheless, he assured that a statement will be released very soon in this regard.
TIGI had accused the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Administration of being corrupt, basing its assertion on the circumstances in which Minister Harmon issued what he described as an “honorary” appointment of businessman Brian Tiwari as his “business advisor” and also in staying a Guyana Revenue Authority order to seize two vehicles from Chinese logging company BaiShanLin.
Breaking his silence on the issue, President David Granger expressed his dissatisfaction with the way TIGI haphazardly accused his Administration of being “corrupt”, without being apprised of all the facts and without even making attempts to seek an explanation.
“When they make statements that the Government is corrupt, what does that mean? Does it mean that I am corrupt… does it mean that the Prime Minister is corrupt? It is an outrageous statement and I would ask TIGI to verify its information before going to the media. It is difficult for me to accept a blanket of criticism of the entire Administration because of one incident,” he had said.
He also invited the transparency body to meet with Minister Harmon and have their concerns addressed at that level.
Minister Harmon is currently subject to public opprobrium after the business advisor appointment document was leaked and published by the Kaieteur News which kept up a daily crescendo of criticisms on Tiwari and Harmon.