The Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday said that a small group of high level members of the Guyana Police Force took kickbacks in relation to the purchase of a $16.9M boat in 2009 which hardly worked and is now up for auction.
“The scam was busted and the culprits at home and abroad were identified. The Government demanded repayment of all the money from the local culprits who had collected kickbacks. Some paid while others paid for those who refused to return their share. The money recovered was paid into the Consolidated Fund. The overseas-based vendor was threatened with prosecution. He fixed the boat which sailed for a few weeks and then broke down never to sail again. The Government has decided to place the boat up for auction.”
The statement from the ministry does not make clear why charges were not brought against the policemen involved in the scam.
Giving a background to the boat deal, the Ministry said that in August, 2009, the ministry purchased an ocean worthy boat for the police force at the cost of $16,974,000.
The ministry said that from the day it arrived there were problems with the boat and “the continuous purchasing of spares and payments for maintenance was placing a heavy toll on the budget of the Guyana Police Force.”
The Ministry said that the identification and procurement of the boat had been left to the police force since it asserted that it knew the type of craft it wanted.
The following companies bid for the boat:
a) Car Mart – $20,286,000
b) Rama D.B.K. Ltd – $18,733,500
c) Cartronics – IV – $16,974,000
The release said that on the basis of a recommendation from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Cabinet issued its no objection for the acquisition of the boat from Cartronics – IV.
The ministry statement said that the police were responsible for the processing of payment to the supplier which it did. The force was also responsible for the receipt, inspection and storage of the boat.
According to the ministry, what was intended to be a transparent purchase ended up being a scam involving members of the police force.
The release added that the small group of police officers was in touch with Cartronics –IV and conducted the financial transaction. Based on information received, the statement said that an internal investigation was conducted into the purchase of the boat and that was when the kickbacks were uncovered.
The boat had been received by the police in September 2009. The police force has been in need of ocean going vessels for patrols and other operations.
The ministry’s revelation yesterday will likely add to concerns about corruption which has dogged the government in recent months and which saw a fallout between the ruling party and one of its leading lights, Ralph Ramkarran, over his contention that there was pervasive graft and that the government had to do something about it.
Ironically, the ministry’s revelation came in response to another allegation of corruption related to the police force which appeared in the Kaieteur News of July 11, 2012 under the heading `Massive racket uncovered at Police Vehicles Auction’.
The ministry in yesterday’s statement berated the police Office of Professional Responsibility for the manner in which the matter was investigated and charged that it had not been privy to the findings of the probe. The ministry also stated that there had been foot-dragging on the investigation which reeked of an attempt at a cover-up and to protect the police ranks and a staff member of the ministry. The ministry further stated that it appears that the information had been sold to the Kaieteur News.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs is appalled at the extent to which some ranks within the Guyana Police Force would go to sell information about the Force in exchange for money or to sell information about the said Organization as a way of grinding an axe with their colleagues within the Force.
“By divulging this matter to the Kaieteur News only, those disloyal ranks within the Force make it appear as if the Kaieteur News is an anti-corruption tribune and a paragon of virtue in Guyana.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to emphasize that since April 2012, the Minister of Home Affairs had instructed the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry to initiate an investigation into the matter based on reliable information which had come to the attention of the Minister’s Secretariat.
“Since the instruction was issued, the Minister has, from time to time, requested to be updated on the status of the investigation. Regrettably, nothing has been forthcoming.
“In the meantime, the Minister had warned those persons who were carrying out the investigation that there appeared to be foot dragging on the issue which implicitly reeked of an attempt at a cover-up and to protect the Police Ranks involved as well as a staff member at the Ministry who was identified as being involved in the matter.
“The Ministry’s staff member had subsequently applied for Annual Vacation Leave but the application was not supported having regard to the fact that an investigation into the matter involving the very staff member was ongoing.
“As was predicted the results of the investigation never reached the Minister’s desk but instead reached the desk of the Editor of the Kaieteur News without any reference whatsoever to the investigation launched by the Ministry.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs expresses its deep disappointment with the manner in which this investigation was dealt with by the Office for Professional Responsibility (OPR) at the Guyana Police Force. The Ministry is disgusted with those within the Force who have no respect for their uniform and prefer to exchange it for a second pay packet from the Kaieteur News.”
