The Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill has appointed a team to investigate alleged financial misconduct at the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation’s Asphalt Plant.
A Ministry of Public Works release yesterday said that allegations that there were “misappropriations in the management and reselling of Government’s asphalt and its connection to the Ministry of Public Works internal staff”, will be investigated.
According to Edghill, this “special investigation” was a result of an article published in the Kaieteur News which “sent a strong message that persons at the Asphalt Plant and the Ministry are reselling asphalt sold to the Government of Guyana for their own benefit.”
“As the subject Minister, I think this warrants closure and one of the ways we can do this, is by being objective in examining what was said without prejudice, with a clean eye, and ensuring that we have the necessary facts,” Edghill was quoted as saying
The investigating team consists of Chateram Ramdihal – team leader; Heidi Gillette, Brion Singh, and Dexter Smith. They have been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation dating from 2013 to present and are expected to complete their probe within a month. Among the matters to be looked at are; the veracity of the statements made; the systems employed at the plant; any reliability issues and weaknesses which would allow for malpractices to be capitalized on; a determination of culpability and appropriate penalty to be meted out to those involved; and recommendations on a way forward.
The minister told the team that they must examine all aspects of the Corporation “so as to get down to the last strand of detail as it relates to the allegations highlighted.” He added that at the conclusion of the investigation, he expects a detailed report and an end to the “haemorrhaging of the public purse”.
Persons interested in contacting the team can do so via email at audashptgy@gmail.com, the release added.
