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Independent investigation will unearth whopping financial irregularities at NCN
CEO should also go on leave – insider
As investigations continue into the financial and other malpractices at the National Communications Network (NCN) observers and concerned staff members are urging the removal of the entity’s Chief Executive Officer in order to facilitate an independent probe.
Last week, NCN’s Production Manager Martin Goolsarran was sent on administrative leave following revelations of massive fraud which is pointing to the involvement of senior company officials.
However, the company’s CEO Mohamed Sattaur remains in charge even as he is being accused of behaving like the government’s “favoured” one.
Sattaur has retained a stranglehold on the NCN, despite allegations of mismanagement which came to light following parliament’s chopping of the entity’s budgeted subvention.
The company’s management had lashed out at the cuts initiated by the parliamentary opposition, claiming that it will significantly affect capital works and would impact on the employment of staff.
However, from all indications the budget cuts have revealed another side of the coin, one that points to mismanagement and financial irregularities.
According to a reliable source, after the budget cuts the Board of Directors perused several financial documents which gave rise to several questions.
Kaieteur News understands that the board questioned the amount of money NCN made on the recently held GT&T Song competition.
There are reports that some of the revenues such as production costs cannot be accounted for. In fact while the NCN charged the telephone company production costs, somewhere in the vicinity of $7M, staff members who worked on the production are alleging that they were not paid.
“There might be many other cases like this. It is not $10,000, its millions,” one NCN insider said.
The new multi-million dollar ‘Outside Broadcast’ vehicle has been lying dormant for several months.
Then there is the purchase of a multi-million dollar Outside Broadcast vehicle, which is presently lying unused in the compound following its acquisition several months ago.
This newspaper was reliably informed that the vehicle which is to be used for outside radio broadcast is down for the want of several important components.
The old radio Outside Broadcast vehicle is presently gathering moss in another section of the NCN compound.
“This is just a waste of money and then the management is protesting against the budget cuts?” the source said.
According to the source, an independent investigation will also reveal that the company may have purchased reconditioned cameras instead of brand new ones as documented in their budgetary requests.
A few years ago Sattaur, who is also the administrator of a number of the ruling PPP’s entities including Red House and Heritage House, was suspended by the NCN board of directors headed by Dr. Prem Misir following claims of insubordination.
However, he was reinstated by the then President Bharat Jagdeo who had intervened in the matter.
Now with revelations of financial impropriety surfacing, his continued presence as CEO of NCN is giving rise to concerns that an independent investigation would not be done.
Sources at the state owned broadcasting entity have indicated that any independent investigation will reveal that the company has had no meeting since 2004 where an audited financial statement was presented.
The old eight million dollar OB vehicle gathers dust in the NCN compound.
“Until some pressure is brought to bear on the top management of the NCN the company will continue operating as if it is the property of a few,” the source said.
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