Much ado about nothing?…We have become embarrassed by the forensic audits – Ramjattan
– Tens of millions spent, but public still uninformed
– No witness protection plan despite evidence of “rotten things”
– Absence of crucial documentation negates serious reviews
By Kiana Wilburg
From last year to now, over 30 forensic audits and special reports on a number of controversial projects and agencies have been released by the coalition administration.
Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan
These reports which have cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, document numerous instances of corruption, mismanagement and abuse of state resources.
In spite of the aforementioned, there has been no action of consequence against those who were fingered in the corrupt acts, and the public remains uninformed.
With this in mind, several critics have asked, “Were the forensic audits much ado about nothing?”
An emphatic “no” was the response submitted by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan.
The Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), said that when Government launched the forensic audits, the intended purpose was to ascertain the state of the assets it was actually taking over from the former regime. Ramjattan insists that this was the first and primary purpose.
“When we did the audits we found such rotten things in there and initially, we suspected rotten things were taking place. So we said that if indeed there are rotten things which involve criminality, we will carry them to the courts.”
Ramjattan said, however, that a number of the forensic audits only have rottenness to the extent that allows the administration to remove certain “elements” and change around systems.
“And we have done that. There are, however, some other cases in the reports that have criminalities involved. Now when you are going to deal with that aspect, you have to go to the police.”
In this regard, Ramjattan stressed that the forensic audit is not evidence.
“When you are creating a file now for prosecution, you have to take witness statements…and as I have mentioned before, some of these witnesses for those forensic audits that we want to pursue prosecution for, are backing away.”
Ramjattan said that the witnesses feel terrified of testifying, especially given what happened to this newspaper’s publisher, Glenn Lall, when there was a grenade attack at his place of work, specifically thrown at his vehicle.
“They feel scared that a grenade might be thrown at their homes too, and people need to understand that. We are having difficulties in the preparation of some of these cases, because you have to have a file of statements signed at the bottom of each page by the witnesses saying that this is the evidence that they will go to court and testify to,” the Public Security Minister expressed.
Ramjattan confessed that the process in some ways has become an embarrassment to the Government.
“We have become embarrassed by the forensic audits. We don’t have a witness protection plan. People are concerned and they feel those who did the criminality in the former regime can still get at them. And so we have that problem to deal with.”
Another factor affecting the forensic audits, Ramjattan said, is the fact that crucial documentation cannot be found. He said that this even affected forensic auditor, Anand Goolsarran during his audit of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
The Public Security Minister also stressed that the police force is burdened with other issues.
He said, “We didn’t prioritize the forensic audits. You’ve got robberies and murders and all other kinds of crime popping up. And the force is short by 1,000 officers. You’re begging people to join the force and they don’t want to because of the small salary.”
The AFC Leader said that the Government is facing a herculean job with the audits and it would have to be measured in its approach. He commented as well that the forensic audits have also complicated the life of the Government.
In spite of the challenges affecting the process of prosecution, Ramjattan said that the audits show beyond a shadow of a doubt that “there were chaps within the former regime that are indeed criminals.”
He said that this is good enough for now.
He opined that while it would be better to have the convictions, there are constraining factors. “It is not easy,” the Public Security Minister concluded.
It was in May 2015 that the Granger-led administration began expending some $133 million of taxpayers’ monies on 45 of the 50 forensic audits to ascertain how the assets of the state were sold, disposed of or transferred under the previous administration.
The remaining five audits were sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Several audits were also launched in July last year while others started in later weeks. While the report on NICIL has been completed for months now, criminal proceedings are still to take shape. Those on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) have been completed for a longer period.
The forensic audit into the NFMU has unearthed “some of the most appalling acts of corruption”, according to Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Sharma said, “There was just no proper management at this unit. There were instances where you could see that they just lost out on millions of dollars’ worth in fees that they should have ensured they collected. There were some defaulters as well, and the agency just took no action against them.”
“(NFMU) could have collected a lot more revenue. Instead (the entity) allowed a lot of favouritism to take place and as such they lost, I would say, millions of dollars in revenue.
“They allowed their big PPP boys to slip under the radar while others were called upon to pay their dues. In fact, they weren’t collecting from two of their PPP big boys for some time. It was a lot of unfairness that was going on at that agency.”
Sharma had said, “The level of corruption which was taking place at the agency points to the incompetency of those who are managing it.”
The Junior Finance Minister said that the revelations of some of the forensic audits thus far, vindicate the concerns the APNU+AFC had regarding the lack of accountability under the previous administration as well as the stench of corruption in some agencies.
As for the forensic audit launched into the EPA, Sharma had said that it uncovered that the entity has been holding some 15 accounts with over $400M.
Kaieteur News understands that recommendations were made for the monies to be transferred to the Consolidated Fund.
The Forensic audit revealed that the agency was apparently receiving monies from various agencies and opening a new account every time it received large sums.
Sharma explained that the agency should not have done that. He said that it should have held one account and categorized its expenses.
Too many excuses buddy, start the process or just tell the people you are all f.kd up and you are all useless.
