My Hands Are Clean, My Heart Is Pure – Former Minister Dean Jonas

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Dean Jonas, the former Minister of Agriculture and Barbuda Affairs, has denied Gaston Browne’s accusations saying it is untrue and a bogus story meant as a distraction.

Prime Minister Browne made accusations against Jonas claiming Jonas was violating the policy that governs the tendering process for government contracts.

According to Browne, any contract which exceeds E.C $100,000 and is issued within the public sector, must firstly be approved by the Cabinet and a recommendation would then be made to the tenders board, which has the authority to determine if the contract goes to full or selective tendering or will be waivered.

Speaking on his radio show on Saturday, the prime minister revealed that he was at constant loggerheads with Jonas to prevent his persistent attempts to breach the country’s tendering laws and policies.

However, Jonas responded saying, “Meh never thief nuttin, meh never bribe nobody, meh never asked for no kickback, never gave any kickback, never gave any bribe, never requested any bribe”.

“My hands are clean and my heart is pure” he declared as he unequivocally denied being involved in any form of corruption.

Browne says he has asked the Attorney General to look into a recent contract entered into by former Agriculture Minister Dean Jonas to determine whether it was illegal.

“Now I have asked the Attorney General to look at his actions in that particular transaction that took place a week ago, to determine whether there is any illegality and if that is the case the minister would have to suffer the consequences because law enforcement would get involved, and in that case he would not have the opportunity to return to my government,” Browne told Pointe FM.

“If however, there is no illegality, the prime minister said Jonas could return to the Cabinet after six months provided  “an adjustment in his behaviour, to ensure that he adheres to the policies of my government and to give a commitment to that effect.”

Browne did not specify the alleged breach by Jonas but hinted earlier that Jonas did not follow policy guidelines for the awarding of ministry contracts.

He said the attempted breaches by Jonas goes back to several years even when he served as chairman of the Transport Board and many warnings were issued.

“There were consistent warnings, I would have warned him privately, in the presence of his colleagues.”

The prime minister said Jonas never listened.

“And I have to tell you I don’t know if is a level of obstinacy but it was like speaking to a brick wall,” he reported.

“Every time I intervened to stop the excesses the minister took it personally,” Browne added.

“I tried to explain to him that it is not personal, it is a matter of protecting the integrity of the government,” he said.

Browne said on some occasions public servants brought the breaches to his attention and Jonas made attempts to stop that by telling his staff do not report it to the prime minister.

“I have had a plethora of attempted violations by former minister Jonas and I would pick up the phone and call him on each occasion to the extend that subsequently when he attempted to violate the policies he would advise the public servants not to inform me.”

“What I did not like were his persistent actions which were clearly against the policies of my government”

“He misconstrued my persistence in preventing him from violating the polices as a personal dislike.” Browne concluded.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. Mr Pompey, my brother Rock Head who has nothing to his name a part from a coal kiln he is hoping to open this Thursday if weather holds say how he sorry for Dean. How do you explain that?

    • MORE THAN PUBLIC SPAT – SEARCH FOR CRIMINAL WRONGDOING?

      Read you clearly ‘…DB.’

      Both of you seem rather empathetic.

      It is really not a ‘…Duncy request.’

      But still can’t see how a ‘Bat’ and his ‘Rock Headed’ brother could get ‘…Rawlston Pompey’ to explain what he has asked for.

      Sure political analysts;

      ‘…Arvil Grant;

      …Peter Wickham; and

      …Carlan Knight’ might be better positioned to offer such explanation.

      Take warning though.

      Watch yo’ mouth with what yo’ say, and watch yo’ ‘bahind’ with what yo’ do.’

      THE ISSUES

      None may deny that the unfolding events of last week that saw ‘…former Agriculture Minister Dean Jonas’ portfolioed position ‘…being revoked by Governor General Sir Rodney Williams,’ have taken on the resemblance of ‘…an acrimonious Public Spat.’

      Advisedly or ill-advisedly, when this news story attributed assertions by Prime Minister Gaston Browne that ‘…I have to ask the Attorney General to look at his actions to determine if in a particular transaction;

      (a) ‘…Whether there is any illegality (Malfeasance/Criminal act);

      (b) …If that is the case, the Minister would suffer consequences;

      (c) …That the Police would get involve, and if such is the case;

      (d) …He would not have the opportunity to return to my Government,’

      it is clear that if these ‘expectations’ are materialized, the situation has the potential to develop into ‘…personal acrimony.’

      Even so, it is to be understood that except;

      (i) ‘…Individual ministerial shady dealings or skullduggeries;

      (ii) …Evidenced by Corruption i. e; ‘…Bribery and Fraud,’ above board and ‘…bona fide contractual arrangements made by a Minister, are arrangements made by the entire Government.’

      Given the principle of ‘…Collective Responsibility,’ with or without Cabinet’s approval, every portfolioed Minister is part of those arrangements.

      In the instant situation, where the ‘…intention appears to be punitive,’ the only way out, is to ‘…find evidence of criminal wrongdoing’ for justice to take its course.

      Now, since he is not a ‘…Criminal Investigator’ and conducts no ‘…criminal investigations, and the involvement of the ‘…Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Commissioner of Police, no Attorney General or any other Minister can so determine.

      To make such ‘…determinations and/or to find such evidence,’ that which shall be done is what was obtained in these well known Cases;

      (i) …The Board of Education Fiasco;

      (ii) …The School Buses Fiasco; and

      (iii) …The Transport Board Fiasco.’

      Even as it appears to be ‘…War of Words; …Scare tactics; and sheer rhetoric,’ the ‘…former Agriculture Minister’ may still look for rain.

      Guess one can ‘…Sing in the Rain,’ as much as one can also ‘…Sing in the Sunshine and in the ‘…Misty Moonlight.’

      No singing on radio though.

      Can ‘…Sing at Church.’ Some darn Angel will listen.

  2. I wonder who gaston have to run in potters in the coming election, are we looking for gaston jr.
    because he is throwing this hot head under the big red bus. remember freeland, just something to chew on.

  3. @ WEST
    I WOULD RECOMMEND JOEL RAYNE THE SPORTS BROADCASTER ON ABS TV .HE IS FROM POTTERS AND HAS LOTS OF FAMILY CONNECTIONS in st. george. JUST A SUGGESTION.

  4. Senator Colin Browne just might be the perfect candidate to be that replacement should it reach to that point…. Colin already has a very large following in that constituency and he already has his feet wet in the political waters…
    There is No doubt Colin will bring great value to the table….. He definitely has what it takes to be an ideal constituency representative and astute politician

  5. The People’s Leader and Comrade Prime Minister knows exactly what he is doing. The whole story gonna come out yet. Jus wait. Mr. Jonas, when a man insists he is so “pure” we gonna have to take a closer look, and dig deeper. We skeptical.

  6. wow, this hypocrite cannot be trusted.Where was the law enforcement during the ebook scandal?why was law enforcement not involved with the odebrecht scandal? or even the solar energy bribes and scandals?customs scandals? It appears like this defraud and enrichment scheme is just reserve for a few in the gang..

  7. NOT condoning corruption at all, however when a PM told his colleagues to enrich themselves and some actually do so with great public knowledge, why use this rep to be a/the “Fall Guy”? The older ministers are enriching themselves daily at a great expense to the nation yet they are not called out. Is it because they are part of the old boys association or are they too young to take your advise? As one blogger states maybe he is making room for another family member. I DON’T know what the PM has on the former minister to investigate so I await revelation.

    • I am still wondering why the hell the Prime Minister does not investigate the Odebrecht scandal so we will know conclusively who were the parties involved. Does he himself have something to hide?

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