Dear Editor,
I write to reject the outright concoction and malicious lies peddled by Manzoor Nadir that I was paid $10 million, maybe $20 million fees from the Chinese company that is involved in expansion work at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
Nadir, the one-time TUF leader now representing the PPP/C, made the libellous statement during what was touted as a “debate” sponsored by and aired on state-owned National Communications Network (NCN), on 16th October, 2012.
On 17th October, 2012, the Guyana Chronicle reported: “Nadir, holding a picture of Nagamootoo escorting a Chinese delegation from the company that won the bid for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project, dared the AFC member to challenge allegations of a $10M retainer he got in relation to representation in the particular project.”
I dare Nadir, and challenge him to produce the proof of his wicked and baseless allegation!
Nadir shared the “debate” with his side-kick Leslie Ramsammy, both of whom viciously vilified AFC leaders behind our backs, especially Nigel Hughes and I, and said that we were guilty of “dishonesty” and “extortion”.
At a press conference on 18th October, I had placed Nadir, NCN and Chronicle on notice about his barefaced lies, and that I had referred the matter to my lawyers. The state-owned as well as other sections of the media did not publish my statement.
The false and defamatory allegation against me came just days after the Chronicle newspaper published on 7th October, 2012 a monstrous lie that I was paid $7 million from the state company, NICIL, to pass transport to D’Edward residents who were relocated for the Berbice Bridge to be built.
Chronicle also lied that I had extorted from one resident $300,000 to be placed in my bank account to pass transport to him.
I have denied the latter accusation, and called on the Chronicle to prove its allegation, but Chronicle failed and/or refused to publish my rebuttal letter. Instead, through a writer, it has pleaded justification for the article, and insisted on the truth of it.
I repeat: I was never paid $7 million by NICIL to pass transport to any of the residents, or for the D’Edward project, or at all. I was not hired to pass transport to any of the residents. I prepared the legal framework for and successfully negotiated a compensation package in excess of $90 million for the residents, with which they were well pleased.
I now wish to state that I have not done any work for the Chinese company that was contracted to do the airport expansion. I admit offering assistance to another Chinese company that specializes mainly in building railways and bridges, and I had introduced its delegation to the Speaker of the National Assembly and to some private sector investors during a visit in June this year.
But I have not charged the Chinese company a single cent for my assistance. I repeat: I have not charged the Chinese company a single cent for my assistance to help them bring investment to Guyana!
However, when we learned that the visiting company was a subsidiary of the airport contractor, Speaker Trotman and I brought to their attention perceived corruption regarding the manner in which that contract was executed, and we insisted on transparency and best practices on any Guyana project.
Manzoor Nadir has maligned me publicly. He has attacked me viciously and lied against me.
This is part of a well orchestrated campaign at character assassination mainly to deflect the people’s attention from “pervasive” corruption by state officials and agencies, and the ineptitude of the Ramotar regime.
The PPP has me locked in their sight as a scapegoat for their fall in support countrywide, and especially in Berbice, a former stronghold, that has lent support for the Alliance For Change. In their frenzy to woo back Indo-Guyanese support, the PPP has resorted to other wicked lies of linking me with violence in Agricola. I have repeatedly denied those lies, but it suits the agenda of the PPP to repeat them as their tactic for ethnic mobilization.
I call on Manzoor Nadir, the General Manager of NCN and the Editor of Chronicle to retract their false allegations and to publish an appropriate apology, failing which legal action will be taken against them without further notice.
I urge the PPP to desist from this dangerous course of whipping up racism, hatred and further divisions in our beloved Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Moses V. Nagamootoo
AFC Parliamentarian
and Vice-Chairman
