– vehicle collecting linked to senior officialUnder Fire: Region Four REO, Deolall Rooplall (left) and former Deputy REO, Ashford Ambedkar during yesterday’s session with the Public Accounts Committee.By Leonard GildarieA Parliamentary committee with sweeping powers to examine how public monies are spent, has ordered officials of Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) to initiate a full-blown investigation into how over $700,000 in fuel was illegally uplifted from Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) in December 2011.The probe, to involve the police, will stretch to GuyOil also.Not only was the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) alarmed yesterday over the seeming reluctance by the regional administration to carry out an internal investigation,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, but revelations that it failed to follow up with the police almost eight months after writing them for assistance to analyse handwriting samples, drew severe criticisms from both the government and the opposition sides of PAC.In December 2011, in less than a week, three different vehicles pulled up at the GuyOil gas station in Kitty,Cheap NHL Jerseys, and used drums to take away a total of $733,076 in fuel, lubricants and other related items. From GuyOil records available, it was determined that two of the vehicles’ number plates were not registered at the Guyana Revenue Authority,Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys, while the third was linked to a former senior official in the Region, Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Ashford Ambedkar.It was not clear whether GuyOil asked for identification at the time.After being grilled by the PAC’s members, current Regional Executive Officer,Anton Forsberg Jersey, Deolall Rooplall, admitted that the Region had made out a cheque for fuel and lubricants to GuyOil for a period and there was a balance that the perpetrators may have had inside knowledge of. It was this amount that was targeted.How GuyOil went ahead and authorized the release of fuel and lubricants was all part of the many burning questions being asked by PAC.SignaturesAccording to documents, the signatures of two officers at the Region,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Deoram Ramdass, and Ambedkar, were on the documents authorizing the release of the fuel from GuyOil. Both denied the signatures.Rooplall testified that the police were written last June to compare the handwriting of both officers but now eight months later, neither he nor the region has followed up on the findings.During an initial probe at the Region’s office at Triumph, East Coast Demerara, some pertinent documents disappeared. Yet nothing was done.Although not saying how, the REO said that they managed to track down one of the vehicle owners and he too denied ever doing business with the Region Four administration.Ramdass is now reportedly on administrative leave for another matter.Trevor Williams, an MP for the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Public Accounts Committee, found it “interesting” that such a large amount of fuel could have been delivered by GuyOil without raising eyebrows.MP for the government side, Gail Teixeira, was even more blunt. Clearly, she said, fraud was involved and tampering with documents,jerseys nfl wholesale, false number plates and, it makes it crystal there was a conspiracy to steal the fuel. She also said it was significant that it was in December, when someone may have wanted to utilize the remaining monies before the end of the year.There were also questions of how GuyOil released the fuel without the vehicles being authorized.The REO, who is the accounting officer for the region, was also blasted for not following up with the police even though he knew he was appearing before the committee to answer questions.BreachChairman of PAC, former Finance Minister, Carl Greenidge, was convinced that the incident was a breach at the Region.According to the REO, the region has now implemented measures that will not allow for the upliftment of more than 60 litres of fuel at any one time. GuyOil is also now delivering fuel directly and there is a bowser (tanker) available too.Greenidge pointed out that as REO, Rooplall had the obligation at the time of discovery to carry out an investigation and that the Ministry of Local Government should also get involved too.He said that the incident is a major embarrassment for the region.The REO and the Region Four administration have two weeks to update the PAC on measures taken for the internal investigations; for the police’s involvement, and the extent of the Ministry of Local Government’s involvement.Yesterday, there were numerous other incidents of breaches and possible wrongdoings.The PAC signaled its intentions to recommend several critical changes to improve the checks and balances at Region Four.The PAC yesterday also examined several instances of overpayments and indications of poor checks and balances at Region Four.
