Caption: Justice and Police Minister, Harish Monorath
PARAMARIBO – Justice and Police Minister Harish Monorath says he was unaware that he was still receiving payment as a member of the Foreign Exchange Commission (FCO) despite being appointed a government minister.
“I formally resigned, and protocol dictates that when a member resigns, their name is crossed out and payments are stopped. I’m surprised that funds are still being deposited into my account,” Monorath told the National Assembly in response to a question asked by opposition legislator, Asiskumar Gajadien, during the General Political Debate (APB) on Monday.
“I’m surprised that funds are still being deposited into my account. I will write to the Foreign Exchange Commission to inform them that unlawful funds have been paid to me, especially since the office of minister is incompatible with other public functions,” Monorath told legislators.
Vice President Gregory Rusland promised an immediate investigation into the matter and President Jennifer Simons made an appearance in the Parliament to deal with the situation.
She told legislators that the investigation had shown that the transfers did not originate from the Ministry of Finance, but directly from the Foreign Exchange Commission and asked Monorath to provide his own explanation.
Monorath acknowledged that he had verbally, not in writing, resigned from the FCO when he was appointed a government minister.
Monorath further indicated that he hadn’t checked his bank account, where the funds were deposited, for months.
“I haven’t been to the bank to check my finances for months, and I don’t have online banking. If it appears I’ve misappropriated any funds, they must be returned immediately,” said Monorath.
But Gajadien said the case demonstrates the double standards of the government.
“Whether it’s one month, three, four, or five months, the fact is, it shouldn’t have happened,” he said, adding that documents from the investigation show that the Foreign Exchange Commission did indeed send a letter to the Ministry of Finance requesting that payments to Monorath be halted.
The parliamentary leader of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), Rabin Parmessar, defended Monorath, saying the FCO was not at fault and that the Ministry of Finance should have stopped the payments.
He said a similar case had occurred under the last administration.
“Former VHP minister Rishma Kuldipsingh also received double salary for months because the Ministry of Finance failed to stop her financial contribution from another public position. “Equal treatment, equal treatment—those funds should also be returned,” Parmessar said. (AFP)
