Jagdeo sees jiggery-pokery in seizure of two land cruisers in Lethem

Bharrat Jagdeo

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo has accused the APNU+AFC coalition of maintaining a government characterized by “state sponsored kleptocracy”.

He claimed during his weekly press conference that two land cruisers seized in Lethem with Venezuelan registration numbers AA239ON and AK010BG have somehow managed to be registered in Guyana two months before they were confiscated,

“I heard GRA seized these land cruisers in May and then they were registered in March. The register was backdated to March 14, 2019,” he told reporters at his Church Street officer yesterday.

Jagdeo went on to claim that the vehicles are now registered to PNCR bigwigs and are part of a larger scheme where millions of dollars in revenue is relinquished by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). 

According to the Opposition Leaders all luxury vehicles seized are not registered into the want of entry log and are therefore not auctioned but given to “family and friends.”

He claimed that his party has been investigating that matter and would release additional information ‘soon’ before challenging the GRA to respond to the allegations.

When contacted by Stabroek News yesterday, Commissioner-General Godfrey Statia acknowledged that the vehicles identified were seized and disposed of but noted that he would have to investigate the rest of the claim.

“I will respond,” he said.