Senior police officers, accused of accepting kickbacks in the purchase of a $16M boat for the force, have apparently gotten off without penalty after making repayments, although former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran says they should have been prosecuted.
Both the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police top brass have been silent on whether a criminal investigation has been launched, although in July Crime Chief Seelall Persaud had said that he was unaware of any criminal investigation being conducted.
This newspaper recently made attempts to ascertain what the position is with the case but was unsuccessful.
According to one source, there will be no investigation into the scam as some of the players who had been identified had repaid whatever money they got in kickbacks. The source said that in his mind, that was the end of the matter, particularly because of the ranks who were involved. Some of those involved, the source said, were among the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force and that was the rationale behind them being given an opportunity to repay the stolen money as opposed to facing criminal sanctions.
Stabroek News was unable to gather information from the police or the ministry. This newspaper understands that Minister Clement Rohee is out of the country on official duties and will not be back until sometime this week.
Previously, police officials had directed this newspaper to Rohee and police commissioner (Ag) Leroy Brumell for a comment. Brumell could not be reached.
Head of the Transparency Institute of Guyana, Gino Persaud and Alliance For Change Chairman, Nigel Hughes had both said that the ranks implicated should have been charged and not be allowed to escape scot free by repaying money.
This position was also echoed by former Auditor General Goolsarran, who noted that the police being the requisitioner of the boat had no right to be involved in the procurement process.
During a recent interview with this newspaper, Goolsarran said that the acquisition of the boat would fall under capital expenditure at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The ministry, in giving a background to the boat deal, had said that in August 2009, it purchased an ocean-worthy boat for the police force at the cost of $16,974,000. 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 went on to say 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 companies that bid for the vessel were Car Mart – $20,286,000; Rama DBK Ltd – $18,733,500 and Cartronics – IV- $16,974,000.
On the basis of a recommendation from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), the ministry said, Cabinet issued its no objection for the acquisition of the boat from Cartronics – IV. The police were responsible for the processing of payment to the supplier, which they did, as well as for the receipt, inspection and storage of the boat, it added.
According to Goolsarran, after the revelation of the scam he checked the 2009 Auditor General’s report and found nothing related to the purchase of a boat for the GPF.
He noted too that he checked the three companies that reportedly bid for the vessel but found nothing. He said that he believes that the police got three bids instead of publicly advertising for them. He said that because of what he found, he believes that no one bothered to check the background of these companies who supposedly bid.
“If they wanted a boat, the permanent secretary has to initiate the procurement procedure and advertising. There also has to be cabinet involvement,” he said, while reiterating that the police had no right to be in the procurement process. “They (the police) ought not to have been involved with the potential buyers.”
Goolsarran questioned why the vessel was not just bought from a factory. He said that from all indications, a series of breaches were committed during the purchasing of the vessel and up to now there are still a number of outstanding questions, such as who inspected the boat and if there was a clause that covered the matter, including whatever mechanical problems the vessel may develop.
Asked what should have happened to the ranks implicated, he responded, “They should have been jailed. If there was evidence of kickbacks, why were they not prosecuted? It is a criminal offence to accept kickbacks.” He also said that he doubts that the police were able to “get back” all of the money involved.
He added that it really makes no sense for the Auditor General to intervene now, since he would only confirm what has happened already.
The ministry had said that after the scam was uncovered and the culprits at home and abroad were identified, the government demanded repayment of all the money from those who had collected kickbacks.
Some paid while others paid for those who refused to return their share, the ministry said, adding that the money recovered was paid into the Consolidated Fund. Further, it was stated that the overseas-based vendor was threatened with prosecution. He fixed the boat, which sailed for a few weeks, and then it broke down never to sail again, as a result of which the government decided to place the boat up for auction.
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.
