Justice and Police Minister Harish Monorath has come under intense scrutiny following revelations that he continued to receive payments from the Foreign Exchange Commission, a body he was part of prior to his ministerial appointment. The allegations were brought to light by VHP faction leader Asiskumar Gajadien during the General Political Considerations (APB) in parliament. The accusations prompted immediate action, with Vice President Gregory Rusland vowing to investigate the matter. The probe confirmed that Gajadien’s claims held merit. President Jennifer Simons addressed parliament personally, revealing that the payments originated directly from the Foreign Exchange Commission, not the Ministry of Finance. Minister Monorath explained that he had verbally, not in writing, resigned from the Commission upon assuming his ministerial role. He claimed ignorance of the ongoing deposits into his account, stating, ‘I formally resigned, and the protocol dictates that payments should cease. I am surprised that deposits continued. I will notify the Commission to rectify this, as ministerial roles are incompatible with other public functions.’ Monorath added that he had not accessed his bank account for months, emphasizing, ‘I do not use online banking. If any funds were unlawfully received, they must be returned immediately.’ Gajadien criticized the incident as evidence of double standards and lack of transparency, asserting, ‘Whether it’s one month or five, this should not have happened.’ Documents revealed that the Commission had indeed requested the Ministry of Finance to halt payments. NDP faction leader Rabin Parmessar defended Monorath, shifting blame to the Ministry of Finance and referencing a similar case involving a former VHP minister. ‘Equal treatment is essential; those funds must also be returned,’ Parmessar stated, sparking claims from coalition members that the former minister never repaid the money.
Minister Monorath onder vuur om onrechtmatig ontvangen gelden van Deviezencommissie
