– Key records either locked away, burnt or missing – UK Expert- Dr. Sam Sittington
UK Financial Crimes Expert, Dr. Sam Sittlington
For more than a decade, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), have separately, and jointly, accused the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) of being responsible for massive scales of corruption which steered billions of dollars away from the national pursue.
But after assuming office in 2015, creating a State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA), and starting several investigations, not a single person within the PPP’s hierarchy is behind bars.
During an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, former British Advisor to the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), Dr. Sam Sittlington, said he is quite aware of this situation as well as the reasons why Guyana has failed in its attempts to tackle grand corruption.
The UK Advisor was quick to state that the probe into allegations of PPP corruption should be dropped.
From his experience in working with SOCU and interacting with other crime fighting agents, Dr. Sittlington said key records that are needed to support the allegations of corruption are either locked away, burnt or missing.
The UK Advisor on anti-money laundering said, too, that key witnesses are also difficult to locate to make pertinent statements.
“So it is a lost cause,” Dr. Sittlington advised.
He said that the authorities of the day should wipe the slate clean and look at money laundering or corruption cases that are current “because going back 15 to 20 years looking for evidence in Guyana, it is not going to be there.”
Furthermore, the Consultant on a number of anti-money laundering programmes noted that Guyana’s failure to address grand corruption is hinged on a number of other factors.
Dr. Sittlington was keen to note that the handling of cases by prosecutors is far too slow.
He commented, “The cases go from the police to the Director of Public Prosecution and are sent back again to the police because something is not right. The Police Force and SOCU would be sending cases to DPP for advice because they don’t know how to go further but the reality is that they should know. A case should only go to the DPP when it is finished…”
Dr. Sittlington added that one of the impediments to fighting grand corruption in Guyana is the draconian court system. He noted that there are instances where judges have to recuse. themselves from cases due to conflict of interest or cases are dismissed on highly suspicious circumstances.
The Anti-Corruption advisor said that he has seen this very pattern in other parts of the world where corruption cases are dead on arrival because the judicial system is slow and antiquated.
He said that if Guyana is to make even the slightest progress on this front, the foregoing issues, among others, need to be addressed.
Comments
I agree with what Mr. Sittlington has said in this article. It’s a complete waste of time, resources and money to investigate crimes dating back 20 years where any evidence is available. Focus on crimes being committed now and bringing those culprits in front of the court.
The PPP are corrupt to the core and we cannot afford have thieves put back charge of public money. That will be a disaster. Jagdeo and company should get lost. We don’t need them.
The PPP might win the election if Freddie Kissoon keeps encouraging his readers to vote against this government. He will learn the hard way…
Freddie already wrote that illiterate PPP supporters already accosted him in public for writing against Jagdeo and Ramotar. I told everyone here that the barefoot man aspires to become an Arabian Prince if the PPP gets elected. Freddie gon get hard ears, he gonna learn when Jagdeo forces himself back into power after March, if Freddie keeps on encouraging everyone to vote against the Coalition government.
Why don’t he look into British corruption and the British government and the royal family? just saying!
KMAN – his job was to help Guyana recover the stolen loot from the people of Guyana via corruption by the politicians; not the British, the Brits recommended him to come to Guyana. Yes, a waste time and tax payers money. Now that I know the facts, I would no longer ask why the vagabonds are not in jail. SAD!
Sad for sure, but some of those vagabonds are long gone’
Most of the ancestors of the PPP clique live in an impoverished state in India called “Uttar Pradesh”. Even the company name “Beharry” is a homage to their home state of Bihar, another impoverished state in India.
Moderator deleted the rest of this comment.
I have been very patient regarding your comments as I believe in free speech… HOWEVER
We have had enough of the anti- Indian and anti White comments that are repetitive.
They must STOP….. or ALL your comments will be blocked in the future..
Thank you.
Political interference must not hamper SOCU
Jan 06, 2020 Kaieteur News
Guyana needs an independent body to go after grand corruption – UK Expert, Dr. Sittlington
“Having 100 experts on financial crimes would not help. You need the will to go after grand corruption… there needs to be an independent authority which should not be interfered with by any ministry…” – Dr. Sittlington
By Kiana Wilburg
If Guyana is to make any serious headway in successfully tackling grand corruption, the nation must have an agency that is free from interference, and staffed with individuals who have the will to battle this scourge.
This is according to UK Financial Crimes Expert, Dr. Sam Sittlington.
The international consultant was alluding to the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) which he subsequently acknowledged was hampered by interference.
Dr. Sam Sittlington was also a former advisor to SOCU on anti-money laundering and other matters.
During an exclusive interview with this newspaper, Dr. Sittlington said, “Having 100 experts on financial crimes would not help. You need the will to go after grand corruption, and from my experience, there is just too much interference. For grand corruption to be handled once and for all, there needs to be an independent authority which should not be interfered with by any ministry.”
The Financial Crimes Expert said that such a body should have its own prosecutors, along with a special judge to hear such cases.
While noting the importance of such an agency, he was keen to note that it would need robust legislation which promotes transparency and accountability. In this regard, Dr. Sittlington noted that there is no anticorruption legislation that is fit for purpose in Guyana. In the same breath, he highlighted that Guyana would certainly need to review its existing laws to remove provisions that allow perpetrators of grand corruption wiggle-room to escape punishment.
“When you consider the fact that ministers cannot be prosecuted for abuse of office because they use the argument that they are not in a public office, those are simple things which can be changed by definition…And the Constitution probably needs to be looked at as well to stop the perpetrators of grand corruption from stealing billions of dollars from the Guyanese people and then they can’t be prosecuted properly because of lack of legislation.”
Dr. Sittlington also noted that one of the biggest impediments to Guyana’s success in arresting grand corruption is the fact that
the investigators are not knowledgeable or experienced enough to investigate fraud or money laundering crimes.
“…Although they have had loads of training, they don’t understand the concept…I believe therefore that there needs to be a two-pronged approach to this; there should be basic training for investigators and for senior officers and there should be an advanced training course on dealing with these types of offences.”
The Financial Crimes Expert expressed that it is not beyond Guyana to address grand corruption once and for all. He stressed, however, that the right elements need to be in place. He said that this includes the use of advanced technological systems for crime fighting, addressing the draconian judicial system and the sloth of prosecutors, ensuring the provision of training for investigators, getting the right people at SOCU and other law enforcement bodies to ensure the job is professionally done and last but not least, bring on board robust legislation.
Once the foregoing are in place and are backed by political will, Dr. Sittlington says that Guyana would be on its way to actually addressing grand corruption instead of engaging in repetitions of its intentions to do so.
Cyril/Moderator: I am flabbergated that you allow this person, TREVOR, to make this post (one of a series of similar posts over months) against Indians and Hindus on your blog.
In most other democratic and some authoritarian states he would be heavily censured, including jailed for the HATE AND HEAVILY NEGATIVELY SKEWED CHARACTERIZATION of INDIANS.
Trevor, On January 8, 2020 at 8:10 am, wrote:
Most of the ancestors of the PPP clique live in an impoverished state in India called “Uttar Pradesh”. Even the company name “Beharry” is a homage to their home state of Bihar, another impoverished state in India.
Donald Ramotar= Ram + Uttar (Pradesh)
Bharrat Jagdeo= Bharat (city in Bihar or UP) Jag Deo= God
The Uttar Pradeshis and the Bihar descendants are propa scampish and dawgish people.
They come here, to Guyana, to fleece the people, and the NGOs keep on painting an innocent picture of how people from UP and Bihar are suffering.
LET THEM SUFFER in that gutter and caste-system country! Soon as they get access to money they rob the people!
In Hinduism, there is a saying that some people are reborn in poverty because of a past life, yet when people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar come to Guyana barefoot, they rob us and become filthy rich, and then tell us that their Hindu Gods forced us into poverty because we were reborn that way.
…………………………..
I will comment on just a few illiterate statements about India and Hinduism.
1) “Even the company name “Beharry” is a homage to their home state of Bihar, another impoverished state in India”.
Response: Beharry is the name of the founder of the company in Guyana. It is also spelled Bihari, a name for Lord Krishna.
2) “Donald Ramotar= Ram + Uttar (Pradesh)”
Response: Ramotar means Ram and Outar/avatar; like Krishna, Ram is an Outar, an ‘avatar’ or incarnation, of Lord Vishnu. So it has nothing to do with ‘Uttar Pradesh’, in this context. “Uttar” means North and “Pradesh” is place.
3) “Bharrat Jagdeo= Bharat (city in Bihar or UP) Jag Deo= God”
Response: ‘Bharat’ is the original name for all of India. Jagdeo means ‘Jag’ or Yagna (meaning homage or service to Deo (Latin: Deus) or deity/God.
These other trashing of a people would not be allowed in any other civilized, democratic (even authoritarian) states:
“They [INDIANS] come here, to Guyana, to fleece the people”
“LET THEM SUFFER in that gutter [INDIA] and caste-system country”
“They come here, to Guyana, to fleece the people [and] Soon as they get access to money they rob the people!
“yet when people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar come to Guyana barefoot, they rob us and become filthy rich, and then tell us that their Hindu Gods forced us into poverty because we were reborn that way.”
Comment: He also talks of Indians as “Scampish”, So, here in four places he views Indians as ‘fleecers’, robbers, and “Scampish”
Then he refers to Indians as “ dawgish”, i.e., LIKE DOGS, in the following.
“The Uttar Pradeshis and the Bihar descendants are propa scampish and dawgish people.”
Then he goes at the Hindu religion again:
“…and then tell us that their Hindu Gods forced us into poverty because we were reborn that way.”
If you look at Dr. Swami Aksharananda, a major exponent of Hindu Dharma, in his reply to Prof Kean Gibson on Reincarnation/Domesic Violene and Suicide in Stabroek News, which I reposted here on the ‘No Ethnic Impetus on…Domestic Violence” no where does he saw anything even remotely realted to ‘Hindu Gods forcing any one into poverty’ I cite the specific a paragraph as follows:
“The teaching of karma and reincarnation places the responsibility on the individual for his or her own actions. There is no scapegoat. We are the architect of our own destinies. It also helps us to come to terms with and understand our individual suffering. As a matter of fact, on a larger scale, the belief in karma and reincarnation, is probably the most intellectually satisfying, elegant, and simple idea that can be found in the history of human thought to resolve the age-old problem of why evil and suffering exist in the presence of a loving God.”
…………………………………………
Dr Kean Gibson has made similar accusations about the Hindu religion and Hindus, yet UWI rewarded her with a professorship. So, UWI is NOT a good role model in this regard.
So, please take the appropriate action with Trevor.
VedaNM
Veda, referring to Trevor:
“In most other democratic and some authoritarian states he would be heavily censured, including jailed for the HATE…”
What a ridiculous and childish comment. Name some of those democratic states and cite examples to back up your outlandish claim.
Yet, you come here and routinely insult people with an attitude of superiority. Yes, one who thinks he is smarter than everyone else.
Just last week you had the audacity to label Trevor as someone with “restricted intellect “. Recently, you seemed surprised that I could write more than one paragraph. How dare you?
You and the PPP can get lost or move to India.
If there is anyone who should be censured, it is you.
Emanuel
VEDA: …
I have not read all of the comments made on this blog due to the fact that I single-handedly do all the work of selecting stories…answering e-mails building databases etc
I must apologise to all readers who have been offended…. and I will now read all comments and delete and block persons who are breaking the standards relating to racial and personal comments.
Previous comments will be deleted.
Veda, before I read this entry ,I noticed earlier tonight, some of Trevor;s comments and I deleted a couple and warned him that racial and personal comments must cease or ALL of his comments will be blocked in the future.
Now reading this comment… listing the Trevor entries… I am now more aware of the level that we have descended to.
Next month,February 2020, is the 10th Anniversary for Guyanese Online.
I have tried my best to keep it at a high standard…. and I have not made it a money-making business although it has thousands of readers and it costs me time and money to keep it going. .
I have to make a decision quite soon as to whether I should continue with this project as I do have other things that I could be doing with my time.
Kind regards to all
Cyril Bryan
Editor/ Publisher
Cyril: “Next month, February 2020, is the 10th Anniversary for Guyanese Online. I have tried my best to keep it at a high standard…. and I have not made it a money-making business although it has thousands of readers and it costs me time and money to keep it going.
I have to make a decision quite soon as to whether I should continue with this project as I do have other things that I could be doing with my time.”
————————————————————————————–
Hello Cyril, once again, thank you very kindly for your decade of dedication and commitment to GuyaneseOnline. You have gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep this important window to the world (and particularly to the motherland) going. It is much appreciated!
I trust that when you make your decision “soon” that it will be to begin another decade of service to your country and to your compatriots. It will be a very sad and unfortunate day (but understandable) if you chose to close it down permanently. If there is anything we can do to help you keep it going, please do not hesitate to let us know.
Best regards,
Ron Saywack.
Ron:
Thank you for your response and ongoing support.
I will keep you and everyone updated on my plans in 2020 for Guyanese Online.
.
All the best.
Cyril
You tink I got time to look up what Swami school headmaster writes all the time? My lunch break is almost up.
Emanuel: I’ll humour you just this once then put you back on IGNORE
Your failing is that you too have a “restricted intellect”. Yes, it is a criticism; not the racialized hate slurs, that you and your buddies, like Trevor, have been regularly spewing about India, Indians and Hinduism.
“restricted intellect” is another way or saying, as an individual (NOT a racialized group) ‘you are NOT playing with a full deck’ or ‘you are NOT the sharpest knife in the set’.
Back to IGNORE, again.
VNM
Emanuel, let Veda and his white worshipping state of mind report my comments. The PPP/’Civic” is not going to ever get elected again. We don’t like them. They wrote ill of the Haitians and not even the Jamaicans forgive the PPP cohorts.
About HATE SPEECH
I hope the Trevors and Emanuals will take note what could happen to them (if they were in Canada) – JAILING is clearly setout ; on an online blog not sure which law applies. The whole tone/tenor and wording of their writings about Indians is designed to whip up hate against Indians, which will lead to harming Indians. and with such phrases as (Trevor) LET THEM SUFFER & (Emanual) “You and the PPP can get lost or move to India”
CRIMINAL CODE OF CANADA
ADVOCATING GENOCIDE
• 318 (1) Every person who ADVOCATES OR PROMOTES genocide is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years.
• Marginal note:Definition of genocide
(2) In this section, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part any identifiable group, namely,
o (a) killing members of the group; or
o (b) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction.
• Marginal note: Definition of identifiable group
(4) In this section, identifiable group means any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or mental or physical disability.
PUBLIC INCITEMENT OF HATRED
• 319 (1) Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of
o (a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or
o (b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.
• Marginal note:Wilful promotion of hatred
(2) Every one who, by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, wilfully promotes hatred against any identifiable group is guilty of
o (a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or
o (b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.
Definitions
(7) In this section,
communicating includes communicating by telephone, broadcasting or other audible or visible means; (communiquer)
identifiable group has the same meaning as in section 318; (groupe identifiable)
public place includes any place to which the public have access as of right or by invitation, express or implied; (endroit public)
statements includes words spoken or written or recorded electronically or electro-magnetically or otherwise, and gestures, signs or other visible representations. (déclarations)
……………………………
VNM
What Canada has to do with Bharrat Jagdeo and Ramotar? Let them try charging foreign people of ‘hate speech’ when their own backyard has xenophobic Alt Right bigots who shoot away in mosques and Hindu temples.
This is what Canada does to Amerindian people. Why aren’t you angry at this?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/indigenous-girl-grandfather-handcuffed-bank-1.5419519
If any Amerindian, Guyanese or Venezuelan approaches my office for assistance, we treat them like human beings. We don’t send police on Amerindian people like the Canadian banks and government offices.
Kettle calling out the pot. I am at a loss for words, Trevor, that this bombastic man who questions our intelligence and who keeps spouting that we don’t play with a full deck is talking hate speech when that’s what he routinely indulges in. This childish man seriously needs professional advice.
Emanuel …
Enough of this tit for tat.
No more of this or your future comments will be blocked…
Thank you,
Moderator
Emanuel, Veda has been complaining ever since Jagdeo’s crimes might enter the spotlight.
Most of the PPPC supporters envision a post-oil Guyana where they live like the elites in Dubai. Robert Badal is already setting the foundation by constructing one of the highest buildings in GT.
When the PPPC go into power, they will build massive hotels that will make Trinidad’s skyline look like twigs. But the oil monies will be only for the PPPC supporters. Narco trafficking and Phantom Squads all over again!
I cited the Canadian Criminal Code as an EXAMPLE and I added in parenthesis (IF THEY WERE IN CANADA), on the “incitement of hatred”, simply put, ‘HATE SPEECH’.
I also cited the applicable punishments which includes JAIL / IMPRISONMENT, because the fellow, Emanuel, mocked my intelligence saying “What a ridiculous and childish comment”, as follows:
Veda, referring to Trevor:
“In most other democratic and some authoritarian states he would be heavily censured, including jailed for the HATE…”
[Then, he comments] “What a ridiculous and childish comment. NAME SOME OF THOSE DEMOCRATIC STATES AND CITE EXAMPLES TO BACK UP YOUR OUTLANDISH CLAIM.”
I cited CANADIAN (as a democratic state) and it unambiguously sets out the punishment of IMPRISONMENT.
• Re Wilful promotion of hatred
(2) Every one who, by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, WILFULLY PROMOTES HATRED against any IDENTIFIABLE GROUP is guilty of
o (a) an indictable offence and is liable to IMPRISONMENT for a term not exceeding two years; or
o (b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.
So, readers, who is the “Childish” one?
Secondly, note that the “hatred” is aimed at an “IDENTIFIABLE GROUP”. In numerous their postings the “INDENTIFIABLE GROUPS” ARE INDIANS AND HINDUS.
Finally, I challenge them to provide the evidence where I promoted hate to any IDENTIFIABLE GROUP
As a caution, Dr Kean Gibson was censured by the Ethnic Relations Comm of Guyana.
On December 29, 2006, the Ethnic Relations Commission of Guyana (ERC) issued a decision which agreed with the Indian Arrival Committee’s (IAC) complaint that Dr Gibson’s book, The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana, “peddled and spread racial hatred in Guyana among its principal ethnic groups, and that it had as its central theme that Hindus in Guyana were oppressing Afro-Guyanese.” The commission agreed that “the publication was deeply flawed and profoundly unscientific. And so the work must be regarded as wholly lacking in academic character and as representing nothing further than the personal views, unfortunately distorted and regrettably prejudiced, of a private individual.”
As a remedy, the ERC concluded that, in the interest of greater ethnic harmony, public institutions carrying a copy of the publication withdraw it from general public circulation.
Unfortunately, UWI still awarded her a professorship. But, the Courts in Guyana and elsewhere, or even the Civil Service Comm of Guyana (for Trevor) may/would not be as malleable as UWI.
VedaNM