GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has vehemently denied allegations that he knew about the murder of a former television talk show host, Ronald Waddle, three years ago.

Waddell was shot outside his home in the suburbs of Georgetown on January 30, 2006. An active member of the opposition People?s National Congress Reform (PNCR), he often criticised the government on the talk show he had been hosting since 2001.

Ramsammy said as a result of statements being made in a court in the United States he had become worried that he could become ?a target for sinister reasons?.

?I first read of the death of Mr. Waddell in the newspapers. I never was informed by anyone either at the hospital or outside of the hospital about the fact that Mr. Waddell was shot and was at the hospital,? Ramsammy said in a prepared statement issued here late on Wednesday.

?Indeed I have read media reports on legal proceedings in the USA, in which false allegations were made against me by a witness. These allegations are a grave attack on my character and also place my life and the lives of family members at great risk,? he added.

The allegations were made by a US government informant, Selwyn Vaughn, whose testimony in the trial of attorney Robert Simels, who once represented convicted drug trafficker Guyanese-born Roger Khan, has raised questions about Khan?s connections to the present administration.

President Bharrat Jagdeo told reporters he had asked the Health Minister to issue a statement on the issue.

?I spoke with Minister Ramsammy and I asked him ?were you connected on all of these issues that have been raised? Were you part of this, any part of this?? He said to me he was not,? Jagdeo told reporters.

In his statement, Ramsammy said that he is certain that no doctor or health care provider can ever say that he instructed them on how to deal with any patient.

?Thus, the allegation that Mr. Roger Khan spoke to me that night is pure fiction. I am not in a position to say what happened that night in Georgetown. I was not in contact with any person linked to the death of Mr. Waddell that night. I cannot say if anyone told one or more persons that he or she was calling me or not.

?I do not know the witness who testified in the US court, but I never discussed any matter with Mr. Khan. I never discussed with anyone anything related to Mr. Khan, then or now. During that period many persons would meet me, as they did with any prominent Guyanese, but I only meet persons at my office who want to discuss matter related to my Ministry.

The Health Minister denied ever meeting Khan, Vaughn or any ?named witness?nor did they get any assistance from me on behalf of my Government, as alleged or at all.

?These stories emanating from the USA courts are absurd, malicious and mischievous and are being sensationalized at my expense. I am not on trial.