“Major skulduggery” at CJIA – AFC
As corruption and fraudulent transactions remain rampant in almost every government agency, the Alliance For Change (AFC) promises to continue investigations into the recent discovery of “major skulduggery” at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
During a party press conference held yesterday at Side Walk CafÉ, AFC Member of Parliament, Cathy Hughes informed the media of reports received which indicate that fraud is happening at the highest levels of authority in the corporation.
Hughes told Kaieteur News yesterday that she understands that “very senior officials” may be using their office to perpetuate fraud against the company.
The Member of Parliament said that a senior employee who had acted in collusion with an “imposter” to defraud the company is still on the job. She disclosed that that particular employee had identified his “partner in crime” as a contractor to whom large sums of money were made payable.
Hughes divulged that the employee’s attempt at fraud was apparently thwarted when bank officials questioned the imposter. She said that the bank has since blacklisted the CJIA worker and he is no longer allowed to transact any business with that bank.
Hughes asserted that “In almost every other organisation this employee would have been dismissed immediately but, according to reports reaching the AFC, the employee acts in collusion with senior colleagues in a tight knit circle committing various acts of fraud against the company, including siphoning off building supplies to the construction and renovations of the homes of the same senior officials. Reports also point to a possible abuse of the Duty Free Concession.”
She said that apart from the fact that all revenues received by the CJIA are not paid into the Consolidated Fund as they should be, these smaller acts of fraud are no less illegal and must be thoroughly investigated.
According to Hughes, her party is gathering evidence of a multitude of wrongdoing at the airport.
The AFC Member of Parliament said that while it is understood that employees fear victimisation if they should report what is happening at the airport, “we call on them to speak and help stop fraud.”
Yesterday Kaieteur News questioned if the AFC is aware of any similar occurrences with the ongoing expansion project, but Hughes responded in the negative. She said however that she wouldn’t doubt it.
Hughes alluded to the famous “toilet bowl” deal for the expansion project.
Government had defended the cost of toilet bowls for the US$150M project.
According to the contract signed between Government and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) on November 10, 2011, the new airport wanted 69 toilet bowls costing US$2,121.06 each. This worked out to US$146,353.14 or over $29M.
This translated to $424,212 for each bowl.
Officials said that the contract signed was a lump sum one for that section of the contract.
According to government’s defence, the cost included “materials, labour, overheads, transportation and profit.”
Hughes told Kaieteur News that once corruption happens in one section of an organization and is tolerated, it is hard to convince the public that it is not occurring in other sections.
Another member of the Opposition said that he would have hoped that employees at CJIA would have been keeping a watchful eye out at works in the expansion project. But he asserted that “if they themselves are into fraud then there is no hope…it’s like putting a cat to watch milk.”
Kaieteur News made several attempts to contact CJIA boss Ramesh Ghir, but efforts were in vain.