The Attorney General has not been asked for advice on the status of the contract with New Global Consults Inc and the Guyana Government for the reproduction of the updated laws of Guyana.
Stabroek News
August 7, 2001
He has also not seen the report by the two United Kingdom judges who visited Guyana last year to assist in drawing up revised rules for the administration of the High Court, a training manual and standards for all legal personnel engaged in the administration of the courts.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Doodnauth Singh SC yesterday told Stabroek News that nothing had been passed to him for advice. Nor could he say whether the 300 volumes, which were to be provided by New Global Consults Inc, had been received by his ,ministry.
Also, he noted that he had not been present at any of the press conferences at which the issue had been dealt with since he took office.
As a result of question raised by this newspaper about the contract, the Guyana government initiated an investigation as to the circumstances surrounding its award. This led to President Bharrat Jagdeo recommending disciplinary action against Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Ganga Persaud. Persaud has since been sent on leave with full pay pending the resolution of the matter.
The US$222,500/$42.8 million contract was awarded to New Global Consults Inc on the basis of sole sourcing and the books were to be delivered by July 31.
However, according to President Jagdeo the funding should have been provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Cabinet's decision for the award of the contract was based on the understanding that a "no objection statement would have been obtained for the sole sourcing."
No such statement was sought from the IDB as Persaud said that he was under the impression that the Guyana government was funding the contract. President Jagdeo said no money had been allocated in the budget for the contract last year or this year.
The Attorney General's response to questions about the report of the United Kingdom judges was in a similar vein. He explained to Stabroek News that he had heard of the report but had not seen it. The report was submitted by the two judges, Esyr Lewis QC and John Baker to the Guyana Government through the British Government last year.