Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo does not believe that the United States is concerned about corruption allegations against him made to the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) , because if Washington did have a concern it would address them directly with this country.
“If Washington is concerned about it, they will raise it directly with us. We have that engagement often with the senior leadership from the White House and from the State Department, from Treasury… everywhere else. These matters have never surfaced even after, you recall, APNU sent Vice President [Kamala] Harris a long dossier they had at the Washington conference. They met with them here and they raised all the same issues about racism and we’re corrupt, and everything else,” Jagdeo yesterday said in response to questions from Stabroek News.
He said that he believes that when US-nominated candidate Laurence Helfer, formulated and posed the questions at a review of Guyana’s periodic report in Geneva, Switzerland, it was from a background of being “contaminated” by persons affiliated with the opposition.
“I think the US is not saying it is their representative but they represented him, but you act in your own capacity once you are there. So it is not a position that you are representing the United States of America or anybody. I believe he is from New York and the contamination was there… If you read who the members are, they are operating in an independent capacity,” Jagdeo said.
Make public
Calling on the UNHRC to make public the names of the persons who submitted the concerns, Jagdeo said that his government needs the information, in the interest of transparency as it addresses all of the questions posed.
“We believe some NGOs submitted statements there, they made submissions, so we want to see all the submissions. You can see our submissions from government. This is a body that wants to enhance transparency and they should be transparent with how it works too… Because we would like to see where these so-called allegations originate from.”
The documents submitted by NGOs are available on the UNHRC website. https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=2703&Lang=en
The Vice President said he believes the questions submitted were “stupid questions.” “They did not have to be asked but they were asked… It was propaganda from the Opposition that made its way up to that Committee…we will respond to it,” he said while informing that government will upload its responses on a public platform.
“So, we are now going to be writing and submitting our response to all the questions, we are working on that now… every one of these issues we will address in writing and we will ask them to publish our responses to the questions”, he said.
He contended that the same way government’s responses would be made public, those questions and concerns which triggered it should be available also.
Hot seat
Guyana found itself in the hot seat on Monday at the United Nations 140th Session of the Human Rights Committee in Geneva, as a barrage of questions on corruption, human rights and public accountability for state assets were asked including allegations against Jagdeo.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira appeared virtually to represent Guyana at the hybrid session, delivering an opening statement and fielding inquiries from committee members.
A particularly pointed question came from United States committee member, Helfer, who inquired about public frustration over Guyana’s alleged failure to investigate reports of corruption involving Jagdeo.
“The committee… reiterates its request for information on measures to ensure prompt and effective investigations into allegations of corruption and the prosecution of perpetrators. The committee is aware of public frustration regarding, for example, the failure to investigate reports of corruption by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. Would the state party care to comment on these reports?” Helfer probed.
In response, Teixeira explained that no formal police report had been filed regarding a Vice News broadcast containing allegations of corruption against the VP. Without a formal complaint, she argued, law enforcement authorities were unable to launch an investigation.
“The issue of the Vice News’ accusation in a Vice News report on the Vice President of Guyana and acts of corruption, there’s no follow-up on it. There was no police report made by Vice News or anybody else, and so the police cannot investigate without some form of report or complaint. However, the VP has answered this issue publicly several times in the same media that has carried these reports,” she stated.
Jagdeo had lodged a legal case against Su Zhirong who was the man who had levelled the allegations against him in the Vice News report. He had vehemently denied the allegations levelled against him by Su.
At the time of the Vice News broadcast, Su had been a tenant in one of Jagdeo’s properties and living near to where the Vice President resided. Su later disappeared.
Su had said in the Vice News broadcast that he lobbied the Vice President on behalf of Chinese investors and companies. He told the US-based Vice News’ Isobel Yeung, while she was undercover, that Jagdeo was his boss and “processing fees” had to be paid to him to gain access to lucrative contracts in Guyana.
The Vice President responded to the allegations by saying that Su had brought his name into disrepute and globally it could mean that his image will be sullied.
“Yes, my reputation took a hit globally. They are not Guyanese so they may not know and this could be really major because it is international. This could be really big,” he said, pointing out that Vice has large viewership globally.
Jagdeo had in April of 2022, announced that Su had seemingly abandoned his place of abode, although he had paid his rent up to the end of May 2022. He also disclosed that he was looking for the man he had openly claimed to be his friend to evict him from the rental property and then signalled that he would be suing Su for libel.
Yesterday, Jagdeo, when asked for an update in relation to the matter with Su, said that his legal team had applied for a default judgment and that the case file will be made available. He noted also that once this case was closed, there will be additional legal proceedings against other persons who have brought his name into disrepute.
Jagdeo said the allegations against him are many and the issue with his tenant was “only the latest iteration.”
“There are lots allegations… I can tell you about 15 allegations of corruption that they investigated… and they’re still bringing back,” Jagdeo said as he asserted that not one of the claims has been substantiated thus far.
