GuyOil Managing Director Badrie Persaud has been sent on 210 days leave while the government completes its forensic audit of the state-owned company.
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan told Stabroek News yesterday during a brief interview at Parliament that it was advised that Persaud be sent on leave “so the auditors can go in and speak to people without them being fearful.”
When asked by this newspaper what will happen after the 210 days and if Persaud will be retained as the head of the GuyOil, Jordan stated that he could not say.
He did note that he had signed a letter notifying Persaud on Wednesday and that the head of GuyOil would have been told yesterday. Stabroek News contacted Persaud after 15:00hrs yesterday and he stated that he had no comment at that time saying that he was not yet made aware of any letter.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon told Stabroek News that “the recommendation of the auditor was that the head be sent on leave pending the completion of the audit, I am not sure if it is paid but I know that that was the recommendation of the auditor so that the audit can be proceeded with unimpeded.”
Harmon said that he was made aware that a letter was being sent to Persaud and that he had seen a draft copy four days prior.
The minister also relayed that the life of GuyOil’s Board of Directors expired on June 30, 2015 and as such the government was looking into appointments. He noted that the appointments would be pending the results of the audit.
Stabroek News had reached out to Jaipaul Sharma, Minister within the Finance Ministry, who is charged with overseeing the various forensic audits that are currently ongoing including the GuyOil audit. He had stated that there would be no disclosures as it relates to any findings prior to those findings being relayed to the Minister and cabinet.
Fuel scam
So far five persons were identified as having fraudulently accessed fuel from the Guyana Oil Company through an arrangement set up by the former administration. Harmon had said they would be asked to pay for the fuel even as investigations continue into the racket which has ensnared three government ministries.
These are the Ministry of Home Affairs (now Public Security), Ministry of Natural Resources (now a department of the Ministry of the Presidency) and the Ministry of Tourism.
The allegations are that numerous private vehicles had received fuel from GuyOil under the tabs of such agencies like the National Sports Commission.
Harmon had stated that the fuel scam discovered at GuyOil ran into the millions. After his post-cabinet briefing last week, Harmon said that it is roughly about $200,000 per vehicle as there were vehicles that were drawing 20 gallons a day “drawing gasoline in containers and all of these things.
“I can say to you right now definitively that there are at least five vehicles and the names of individuals who were not employed by one particular ministry”.
Harmon said the ministry had registration numbers and the names of persons who took fuel from the company as well as the cash amount attached.
When the government launched its investigation in the last week of June, Harmon had stated that Persaud had to go.
“I have already all of the documents from the ministries…, they want the evidence I will give them the evidence,” Harmon had stated.
