Illustrating their unpreparedness to answer questions from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by providing poor responses as well as making repeated requests to be allowed to provide information at a later date, the representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs were on Monday asked to “go and come again”.
Whilst scrutinising the Auditor’s General 2017 and 2018 reports, questions were raised concerning the full payment that was made for the supply of drugs and medical supplies for the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory without the items being delivered in full.
Minister of Public Works and PAC member Juan Edghill, who was the first to raise questions on the $16.9 million contract awarded to Caribbean Medical Supplies, asked what led to the decision for the contractor to be paid in full before completing the order. No clear response was given and it was during a series of follow up questions that the Ministry revealed that the contractor had taken out a bond to cover the advance payment.