The services of former Director General of Maritime Administration (MARAD) and recently appointed Advisor on Maritime Affairs Claudette Rogers have been terminated by the Ministry of Public Works, Minister Juan Edghill last told the National Assembly.
Addressing terminations in his ministry during his presentation for the budget debates, Edghill said the ministry had to let go of Rogers for a number of reasons.
While he did not specify a reason for her termination, sources at the Ministry told Stabroek News that termination may have stemmed from the forensic audit into the operations of MARAD.
Rogers, when contacted last night, told Stabroek News confirmed that the ministry had terminated her employment and said she did not know the reason why.
According to the source, Rogers’s service was terminated around the same time as Chief Works Coordinator Geoffrey Vaughn. Vaughn was informed on February 15 of his termination which takes effect from March 12th.
A recent special audit has revealed that 92% of contracts were awarded to Courtney Benn Contracting and its subsidiary company, Brenco Shipping for procurement of spares and rehabilitation and maintenance of vessels, a majority of which remains incomplete.
The internal auditor in the report had asserted that “Persons found culpable through dereliction of duties or willful acts to the detriment of the agency, should be sanctioned with penalties that match the nature of the infractions”.
According to the audit report, released by the Ministry of Public Works, Rogers was questioned on matters being investigated at MARAD.
Rogers during the probe was asked to give a “walkthrough” of the systems from creation of the docking list to the completed contract. The auditor said that the response was that “such things cannot be given from the top of her head”.
The auditor further asked if, as stated by staff, that certain documentation such as BOQ for Courtney Benn and Brenco Shipping “resided” with Rogers. Her response, he said, was that the lack of access to records left her “incapable off giving credible information”.
The auditor also asked how $359 million was spent on the Baramani but recent checks suggested that works were not done. He said that Rogers’ response was the “assessment is technical and she is not technical, her job doesn’t include going on site to certify works”.
As to whether she had given verbal directives to pay Courtney Benn and Brenco, the auditor said that Rogers’ response was that “The Accounts (Department) should not have made payments without relevant signed approvals. Payments cannot be made on verbal instructions; documents have to be produced before any payment is made”.
The auditor said that since adequate responses were not being provided to specific questions, the meeting ended early.
The internal auditor was of the view that there was a deliberate attempt to
frustrate the audit and that it was unbelievable that no bill of quantities for Courtney Benn and Brenco Shipping was available for examination. “The BOQ forms part of the submission for NPTAB and Cabinet’s deliberation & approval. How then have they conveniently gone missing”? he asked.
He further said that it was strange that other suppliers had the supporting documents attached but that those of Courtney Benn were missing. He said that ignorance cannot be claimed in the matter given that all the transactions followed the same patters and he asserted that the then Director General “must give account for the massive breakdown in the internal control systems”.
The auditor cited as an egregious example the signing of a contract for the acquisition of spares for $400 million, which was signed on July 4, 2019 with a mobilization advance set at 80%. However, on the same date the entire contract sum was paid.
During the period under audit, the auditor noted that the positions of Chairman of the MARAD Advisory Board and Director General of MARAD were held by the same person, which he said raised conflict of interest concerns.
He added that there was a need for an immediate and total review of the general system and operations at MARAD.
