Chairman of the Region Four Regional Administration Clement Corlette has written to Auditor General Deodat Sharma bringing to the attention of the Audit Office a possible scam involving the acquisition of fuel and lubricants and asking for an audit.
“I have recently received information which indicates that a fuel requisition scam may be in operation within the Engineer’s Department. The information indicates that heavy fuel eg diesel and lubricants uplifted for the drainage pumps were being diverted,” Corlette said in the letter dated March 1, 2013.
He said that based on information he received on February 25, he visited the Guyoil Service Station in Kitty to speak with the manager. “The manager was cooperative and revealed information upon my request which showed that for the month of January 2013, over five thousand litres of fuel was delivered to Region Four. Specific days were given to me on which fuel was uplifted in addition to information on the transporting vehicle number,” he said.
“Reasons exist to believe that a substantial amount of 5,841 litres or $1,259,319.60 of diesel fuel issued by Guyoil Kitty service station might not have been delivered to Region Four Drainage and Irrigation operations. Additionally, reasons exists to suspect that apart from diesel fuel, lubricants may have also been uplifted but not delivered to the Region Four facilities,” said Corlette.
He said that when questioned, the Regional Engineer stated that the only requisition he approved in January 2013 for pump station fuel supply was on January 18, 2013 and this was for three drums or 675 litres of fuel to the Triumph pump station.
“The record revealed that 84.61 per cent of the fuel taken was uplifted by PPP 3015, a Region Four vehicle. There were no flood conditions in Region Four for the month of January, as such the excessive request for diesel fuel seems out of the ordinary and had aroused my interest…,” he said.
“Given all the circumstances I have concerns, hence I herein request the immediate intervention of your office to take charge and custody of all fuel requisition instruments under the Drainage and Irrigation Programme 2 for January 1, 2013 to January 30, 2013 and to conduct an audit of all receipt distribution and payment for fuel supplied and or allegedly supplied to the Regional Democratic Council Region Four,” said Corlette.
