Even as Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson continues to deny ever receiving jewellery presents over the years from the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) and Asphalt Plant, a preliminary review of other agencies covered by his then ministry reveals numerous purchases for him and his then junior minister Annette Ferguson.
On one occasion, Ferguson’s personal assistant requested where the purchase should be made and the date it should be delivered, documents seen by Stabroek News revealed.
Noted too was that last year, during the elections impasse, gifts were still being purchased by Ministry of Public Infrastructure agencies. The Transport and Harbours Department in May, purchased jewellery for $33,500 and a bottle of perfume for $14,000 as a present for Patterson. With VAT included, the items came up to $54,720.
Meanwhile, the Maritime Administration Department’s (MARAD) gift cost some $387,486 and was purchased from Steve’s Jewellery on May 2, 2020.
MARAD on April 4, 2020, also requested and had a cheque drawn for $704,292 to pay Steve’s Jewellery for “birthday gifts”. Documents show the cheque was drawn on May 4, 2020.
To add to the over $2 million in jewellery received since their tenure in office, documents from the DHB and Asphalt plant show a total of $6.7 million in “donations” from the DHB to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. Those monies were used to purchase Samsung smart phones totaling $406,000, Dell laptops at $765,000 and two Apple IPad Air for $427,000, for both Patterson and Ferguson.
Among the donations were items such as a cocktail table, dresser, king- and queen-sized bed sets, mattresses and a chest of drawers.
“Never purchased, never received, never instructed, and never even inquired about it – further have no clue about it. It was not purchased for me or even donated on my behalf. No further comments,” Patterson had on Sunday told Stabroek News when asked about a $504,000 gold band and tie pin, purchased by the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation and Asphalt Plant for him.
Yesterday this newspaper again reached out to him about the other purchases but he did not respond, although he had read the messages. Patterson is now the Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee and the questions over the gifts could put his position in jeopardy.
Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill yesterday said that he was aghast when he saw the invoices and payment schedules from other agencies on the number of purchases and said that if Patterson continues to deny receiving the items he would push for a police probe.
I would have to have the officers go to the police. Because if I buy you something and I have documentation to show I buy and pay there must be some evidence. The Auditor General will have to get involved in this. This is not just a walk in the park; my going into your world. This is public monies.
Edghill says that the engagements were “not secret” as he was told by DHB General Manager Rawlston Adams that “whatever was done was done in the presence of all the other Heads of Agencies”.
“It wasn’t an individual coming one at a time. It was a function that was held,” he said, noting that there should be photos, videos and other images from the function so that the ministers would not be able to deny.
Adams has been at the centre of a controversy for purchasing a bracelet worth nearly $900,000 for himself with money from the DHB. Poor management of the bridge’s affairs and the asphalt plant have also been raised in relation to him.
Edghill said that it was in a meeting with Adams on Monday and from financial documents of the DHB that it was revealed that the then Ministers of Public Infrastructure were also gifted items.
It is on this note, he said, that he requested an investigation be launched to determine if expensive gifts were gifted to then ministers at the ministry.
Returned
Adams had promised to start repaying for his bracelet but yesterday Edghill informed that the DHB and Asphalt Plant Manager had returned the item to the ministry. “Mr. Adams has gone one step further… he has indicated to me that I can expect two things. He is physically handing back the bracelet and written communication about his position and tenure at the bridge. Mr. Adams understood clearly he will not remain at the bridge,” the minister said
Edghill had explained that he requested from the heads of all the agencies, vouchers and documents to be submitted to him by noon yesterday, showing purchases for the ministers “so we can have a full grasp of what really took place… Let’s see what was bought and the value of it.”
The agencies which were asked to submit documentation were the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIA), the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Maritime Administration Department and the Transport and Harbours Department.
Having received the documents yesterday, Edghill said from perusal it showed that both ministers received gifts over their five years in office.
The GCAA’s purchase for Patterson in 2017 was pegged at $117,200, also a gift from King’s. In 2017 the CJIA bought him a map of Guyana tie pin for $67,146. In 2018 the CJIA’s gift to Patterson was a $25,000 token from King’s.
For Ferguson, the cost of her gifts were modest when compared to her senior. On the 22nd of August 2016, a piece of jewellery “Filli Flower 14K” was bought from King’s Jewellery World for US$850 (GY$176,000) by GCAA.
Then, letters from Ferguson’s Personal Assistant, Leon Castello were sent to Heads of Agencies concerning purchases for the minister’s birthday.
On August 19, 2016, Castello wrote to Head of Civil Aviation, Colonel Egbert Field requesting that Ferguson’s gift be bought from King’s Jewellery. “I seek your kind consideration to facilitate the payment of one hundred and seventy six thousand dollars as per quotation provided for the specific gift item from Kings for Min. Ferguson’s birthday,” the letter stated.
“Kings is the only jewellery store with specific gift item identified, as a result, I am unable to provide three quotations. I am grateful for the purchase of the gift to be made for August 22nd 2016 for the 12’O Clock hour for Min. Patterson to present it at our Luncheon at Gravity Lounge,” it added while attaching the quotation.
On the 25th of August 2017, for Ferguson’s “birthday celebration” a “Marquis Tassel 14 Karat Earring” was bought from King’s Jewellery World for US$327.01 ($68,000). Those monies were paid by cheque.
In 2018, on the 24th August, a fifty thousand dollar Requisition for Advance was made to “purchase gift for the Minister Ferguson”. GCAA would clear the payment voucher on the same day.
The Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation also bought a pair of earrings from King’s for Ferguson for US$310 ($63,600).
MARAD’s gift to Ferguson for her birthday cost $34,190 for a “leaf drop” earring.
The DHB just listed “birthday token” to Ferguson for an item which cost $49,000. The monies were had from its Petty Cash through a voucher which stated the particulars as “Birthday gift for Minister Annette Ferguson’s Birthday”.
Edghill said that given the recent revelations he will also push for a forensic audit of all of the agencies for which he is responsible.
And to those persons found party to the purchases and other questionable acts, Edghill said that the agencies will see changes and a major shakeup is imminent. “I can’t allow some of them to continue,” he said.
But he was quick to explain that persons who acted on instructions from their superiors need not be fearful. “The CEOs and the Heads of agencies have said that it was a trend where they get a call about a celebration about these celebrations to buy gifts for. But when you are talking about $784,000 and three hundred and this thousand and four hundred and that thousand …you want to find out why people went [out on] that limb. I think there is a limit,” Edghill said.
