|
Colleagues of a Ministry of Home Affairs employee, who is at the centre of investigations into an alleged racket involving the auction of police vehicles, believe that he is being unfairly targeted.The employee was barred from proceeding on leave when news of the alleged racket broke and although it has been two months since an investigation was ordered by the Ministry, this newspaper was informed that no particular evidence has been unearthed to implicate him.In fact, colleagues who spoke to this newspaper yesterday are convinced that the person making the allegation is the one who should be investigated since it was he who admitted to blowing the whistle on the alleged corrupt practices when he was not favoured for the purchase of one of the vehicles.The staff members of the Ministry claimed that the Ministry of Home Affairs employee was merely the auctioneer and as such he was not in a position to receive any monies or write receipts for any purchase of vehicles.This newspaper had reported on a ‘businessman’ claiming that there was a big racket involving millions of dollars at the auction sale of a number of serviceable and unserviceable police vehicles.The racket, he claimed, involves the misrepresentation of amounts paid for the vehicles, with some of them eventually being sold for far less than the minimum bidding price.The businessman also claimed that the racket has been going on for a while and apart from the Ministry official, the probe is also looking into the involvement of a Police rank and an Auditor from the Audit Office.The employees explained that as usual, for 21 days in March,Louis Nix Notre Dame Jersey, the Ministry of Home Affairs had advertised the sale of police vehicles as advised by the Guyana Police Force.After inspection of the vehicles in the police compounds where the vehicles were, persons were invited to an auction held at the Guyana Police Force’s Quartermaster Stores compound.They claimed that the whistleblower is one of many persons who would make bids on behalf of businessmen interested in purchasing the vehicles.According to one of the employees,Cheap Jerseys, at the March 23 auction, the whistleblower approached the Ministry of Home Affairs auctioneer and made an improper proposal for one of the vehicles on auction.“The guy dismissed him, telling him that he would not jeopardize his job. His response was ‘If I can’t mek money,Curtis Samuel Ohio State Jersey, I gon screw up and done and de whole baby party gon done,” the Ministry employee told this newspaper.The auction went on as planned and,Pete Johnson Ohio State Jersey, according to the employees,Blake Griffin Oklahoma Jersey, every bidder got what each bid for.They claimed that the whistleblower was never a part of that bidding process.“He never bid on any vehicle; he never had any money in the first place,” another employee stated.But things got ugly when the whistleblower,Ezekiel Elliott Ohio State Jersey, in a rage that his proposal was turned down, went to the Ministry of Home Affairs where he reported that a racket was taking place.When the Ministry did not immediately respond with an investigation, he proceeded to the Office of the President.It’s been two months now and there is no word of any disciplinary action taken against the auctioneer.It was explained by a source close to the investigation that nothing incriminating was found against the staffer.“As the auctioneer,Steve Owens Oklahoma Jersey, the man at the Ministry does not handle any money neither does he identify the vehicles to be sold. The police do this on the day of the auction and all monies are paid directly to the police and only the police issue the receipt. We at the Ministry are not involved in any of the financial processes,” one employee explained.The file on the matter is said to be with the office of the Director of Public Prosecution but it is not yet clear what recommendations have been made.Indications are that the matter will end with another slap on the wrist, as was the case with the botched purchase of the police $18M patrol boat.The Minister of Home Affairs had announced that police officers involved in the purchase were ordered to repay the kickbacks they received from the supplier of the vessel which had severe mechanical problems since its arrival in Guyana.The vessel, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs, will be put on auction but so far this has not been advertised. |
|