Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo today dismissed allegations by gold dealer, Junior Baksh, of alleged corrupt acts involving senior Government officials and their alleged involvement in illegal gold dealings and bribe payments as nothing more than a rumour.

He said the accusations are false, and told reporters that the gold dealer has since stated that he has apologized to the President and the President’s mother over allegations he made in an interview.

“So let me make it clear at this stage, the man who did the interview said clearly ‘I have never paid the President or anyone else any money, and 2, I have never paid the President’s mom any money this is what I heard somebody said’, that should be the end of the matter because there is no evidence whatsoever that any money was paid. This is just another rumour that is being perpetrated by the Mohameds to muddy the waters so people don’t look at their dirty dealings and that is why they released it at this time”, Jagdeo stated.

In the interview which was done back in March by journalist, Travis Chase, the gold dealer and businessman spoke about being told by one of his business partners of having to make payments to senior Government officials. He said the business partner referred to the Vice President as among those officials. Today, Mr. Jagdeo said the allegations lack credibility.

“Clearly it has no credibility whatsoever”, Jagdeo stated.

He said the allegations all appear like a political hit against his party’s leadership as it heads into the September elections.

On the issue of the claims of gold being smuggled into Guyana from Venezuela, the Vice President said that matter should be probed.

“I think these matters have to be investigated. I think they would be investigated, but we are two weeks away from elections, and the other party likes to play the victim and enabled by some mainstream media”, he stated.

Since the release of the gold dealer’s interview on the social media page of activist, Melissa Atwell, at least two other billionaire businessmen have threatened legal action over statements made in the interview by gold dealer, Junior Baksh, about their alleged involvement in corrupt activities.

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