Throwing his support behind President Irfaan Ali for security agencies to launch an immediate investigation into admissions of bribery and money laundering on explosive VICE News broadcasts, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo last night said foreigners who admit to breaking the laws should “face the consequences.”
“If people break our law and they admit to breaking our laws they should face the consequences, that is all,” Jagdeo declared as he made his way out from the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Mid-year Dinner at Ramada Princess Hotel in Providence, East Bank Demerara.
His comments were in response to questions from Stabroek News in light of the extended VICE News report on Chinese businesses in Guyana.
He reminded that he also plans to take legal action against Su Zhirong, the naturalised Chinese man and tenant of Jagdeo who is at the centre of bribery allegations following the VICE News report.
Observers have pointed out that since a number of the allegations pertain to Jagdeo he himself would have to be a subject of the probe and this could require him being asked to stand down.
The docu-series was an extended version of VICE News’ original video report, ‘Guyana For Sale’, which examined the operations of Chinese businesses in the country and challenged Vice-President Jagdeo on government corruption. Jagdeo has since vehemently denied the insinuations against him and has said that he intends to sue the middleman who made the claims.
The extended VICE News video report released on Thursday last, contained revelations from Chinese businessmen operating in Guyana, admitting to money laundering and paying bribes to government officials in exchange for lucrative contracts.
Meanwhile, GMSA president, Rafeek Khan, last night at the conclusion of the Mid-year GMSA Dinner in an invited comment said he has not followed the reports from the VICE news agency and it is for the government to respond to those allegations.
Khan however said that while his sector enjoys working with foreign businesses, they look to establish relations with legitimate businesses. On the VICE programme, a logging exporter had offered advice to pay bribes to secure deals. Khan said to his knowledge no member has ever complained of such activities publicly or anonymously.
While the VICE team was undercover, the exporter could be heard saying, “Everything is under the table,” while another adds, “the whole country is like that.” Another one laughs and says “It would be more worrying if they weren’t corrupt.”
On Monday, President Ali said the allegations and admissions should be “investigated by security agencies.”
The Head of State, while responding to questions from this newspaper, said the admissions from persons in the VICE News broadcasts requires “some” investigations as his government has zero tolerance for such activities.
“What is clear, there are some people there who are saying they are involved in such activities… if you look at the video and that definitely requires an investigation… And I’m hoping… the relevant security and relevant agencies are looking at this because it is clear that someone says they are involved,” Ali remarked when asked if he had any concerns about the revelations in the docu-series. Ali was at the time responding to questions on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the National Toshaos Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday.
Ali did not say which agency should be investigating the claims and to date there has been no statement from any of the law enforcement bodies on the matter.
The VICE News video report released on Thursday last, contained revelations from Chinese businessmen operating in Guyana, admitting to money laundering and paying bribes to government officials in exchange for lucrative contracts. In the new docu-series, Chinese businessmen can be heard openly admitting to paying bribes and utilising middlemen to secure deals. The bribes, which are paid to the middlemen, are described as “consulting fees.” The Chinese businessmen also admit to having access to money launderers who operate within their network to facilitate swift money transfers.
VICE News journalist, Isobel Yeung, and her undercover colleague (who is referred to as ‘Mr Chan’), in the series posed as ‘investors’ whose declared interests are in the mining, logging and construction sectors. Yeung explained that this was done to unearth the “corrupt deals” in business transactions.
While undercover, Yeung said they were presented with a deal dubbed the most lucrative, with lands in a prime location where a hotel and casino could be built. The VICE News’ ‘investors’ agreed that that would be the deal, Yeung said. According to the VICE News report, the trail to securing any agreement begins with the notorious ‘middlemen’ and goes all the way to Guyana’s Vice President, Jagdeo. To gain access to the Vice President required meeting with one specific middleman, Su Zhirong. In the meeting with Su, ‘Mr. Chan’ was asked to confirm [to Su] that his investment capital was readily available. ‘Mr Chan’ however explains to Su that their capital is tied up in China. This led to another meeting between ‘Mr Chan’ and “a couple of guys who he [Su] says are able to transfer huge sums of money into the country.” In the video, Su can be heard making the arrangements for ‘Mr. Chan’ to meet these businessmen who are also believed to be the principals involved in money laundering. In the video it was explained that China exercises strict controls over moving sums of money outside its borders, and alternative means of transferring any monies had to be explored.
