Report: Soodh
Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Former Foreign Minister has revealed that Information Minister Nasheed’s denial of knowing any information regarding Hill & Knowlton’s involvement with government was not correct. Dr. Shaheed said that Nasheed met with Hill & Knowlton twice.Speaking to the press last Thursday at “Fansavees”, Nasheed said that Shaheed has refused to give him any information regarding Hill & Knowlton and he had no knowledge about Hill & Knowlton.
Refuting Nasheed’s comments, Dr. Shaheed said that Nasheed met with Hill and Knowlton’s Andrew Fharoah, Tim Fallon and Laalu Dasguptha twice in his presence. Dr. Shaheed claimed it was in November 2003 and late 2005.
“It is total rubbish that Nasheed is saying he knows nothing about Hill & Knowlton. He twice met them in my presence” Shaheed said.
From these two meetings, the 2005 meeting was held to obtain consultancy for transferring Strategic Communications Unit, SCU to Information Ministry and Shaheed said that the Chief Government Spokesperson then, Mohamed Hussein Shareef (Mundhu) was also attended the meeting.
“In this meeting, Nasheed said that his ministry did not have the necessary skilled staff for that job. So, SCU was transferred to my ministry” Dr. Shaheed said.
Dr. Shaheed said that it was big lie Nasheed is saying that he had no information regarding Hill & Knowlton. He also pointed out that Nasheed was the Information Minister; there was no reason why he should inform Information Minister on the affairs of the Foreign Ministry.
“Nasheed need to know about the work the foreign Minister does. The person to share government’s information was not the information Minister, but he was the Chief Government Spokesman. He will know about 90% of the work H & K was doing” Dr. Shaheed said.
Dr. Shaheed said that Nasheed is defaming him by saying that he was involved in corruption.
“He (Nasheed) is saying he has evidence of documents that indicate I committed an offense. He has to prove it. I don’t have to be responsible for a financial transaction carried out by the government” Dr. Shaheed said.
Dr. Shaheed revealed that he was aware some members of Majlis would ask the Majlis to hold an enquiry on the matter. He said that these members wants to hold an enquiry as a government minister is claiming that he has evidence that another minister has committed an offense.
Although he was a Cabinet Minister, he does not know any information regarding Hill & Knowlton who were used by the government to polish its image, Information and Legal reform Minister Mohamed Nasheed said earlier.
Speaking to press at “Fansavees”, Nasheed said that former Foreign Minister Shaheed did not respond to his questions when he asked about the transactions with Hill & Knowlton.
“Being the Information Minister, I asked Maldives Foreign Minister about it when I heard about it from the media. I asked whether it was a true new. But the foreign Minister did not want to respond. When one Minister asked another Minister from the same cabinet, a question, he did not respond to it. I asked him about it on 19th June 2007” Legal Reform Minister said.
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