Georgetown: Even as fraud allegations are being levelled against a number of officials associated with the opposing Antigua Labour Party (ALP), by the current Antiguan Government, the opposition party has started to lash-out at a recent Government appointment.
The opposition’s retaliation, which is being dubbed a “smoke screen” to divert attention from the fraud allegations, comes in the form of bitter condemnation of a decision by the ruling party to appoint Guyanese Attorney-at-law, Sanjeev Datadin, to the position of Special Constable to probe the US $14 million Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Company Ltd (IHI) Japan debt settlement fraud. The fraud allegations has seen the authorities issuing statements making culpable former Prime Minister Lester Bird; former Ambassador and Kaieteur New’s Columnist Sir Ronald Sanders, and a member of Parliament and former Minister of the Government, Asot Michael.
Senior Attorney Anthony Astaphan, who has represented the opposition ALP in several cases, described the appointment as nothing short of outrageous, the Caribarena Antigua reported today. Speaking on Observer Radio, the Queen’s Counsel said Datadin’s appointment represents a serious conflict of interest. “What they have decided to do is to subvert the position of director of public prosecution with the appointment of a lawyer dressed up in the cloth of special constable, with powers of arrest,” he said.
According to the Antiguan Observer Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh and Commissioner of Police Vere Browne swore in Datadin, a lawyer practising for 14 years, on Tuesday. The ALP members have labelled the move political and diversionary. But Datadin has countered, saying it is the ALP that is seeking to divert attention away from the allegations of a serious fraud. He sought to dismiss allegations of political manoeuvring. “I am extremely disappointed that members of the ALP and their advisors have chosen to characterise my assistance to the Royal Police Force of Antigua & Barbuda as political rather than to acknowledge that matters of possible serious commercial fraud which may have taken from and diminished the opportunities of the Antiguan & Barbudan people is being resolved,” Datadin said.
“There can be no better explanation to the people of Antigua & Barbuda for the suspected, inexplicable use of public funds than to give them frank and transparent answers about the use of those funds in the serious commercial investigations which have been ongoing in Antigua for years,” Datadin added.
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