Granger was unaware of Tiwari, several other ministerial advisors- Harmon

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 April 2016, 22:20 by Denis Chabrol

President David Granger was unaware of all of the appointed honorary ministerial advisors including prominent businessman, Brian “BK” Tiwari who was recommended by General Secretary of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Joseph Harmon.

“Mr. Brian Tiwari, upon the recommendation of the General Secretary of the APNU, was one such person identified and issued with an instrument. I was subsequently advised by the President, who was not aware of all the appointees, that he was not in agreement with this one and that the appointment should be rescinded on March 24, 2016. I agreed with the decision of His Excellency and his rationale for rescinding the appointment,” Harmon said in a statement issued late Thursday.

The Guyanese leader last month scrapped Tiwari’s appointment that was made on January 29, 2016 but only became known publicly through a report in the privately-owned Kaieteur News newspaper.

Harmon’s statement seeks to put to rest swirling claims of improper political conduct by Harmon, because Tiwarie’s company had been long criticised by constituent partners  about the quality of some infrastructural work by BK International over the years and Tiwari’s own cozy relationship with the then People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration especially under then President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Harmon explained that after the General and Regional Elections of 2015, many persons, who indicated their deep interest in assisting the Government and fulfilling its campaign promises were appointed to various positions. He added that several of those persons were not interested in formal employment or receiving remuneration, but were willing to contribute.

The Minister of State further pointed out that after some consultation, during which the Minister of Public Security and the Minister of Natural Resources gave advice, it was agreed that such persons should be appointed as Honorary Ministerial Advisors and that a Certificate entitled “Instrument of Appointment … Ministerial Adviser” would be issued.

Over the period October 6, 2015 to February 8, 2016, thirty-four persons were identified on the recommendation of the Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), the General Secretary of the Peoples National Congress (PNC) and the General Secretary of A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and the Instruments were accordingly issued. Some of these appointments, particularly in the Diaspora, received wide publicity, he said.