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Breaking News! Embattled Brassington, Deputy sent on leave
Winston Brassington
Marcia Nadir-Sharma
Georgetown, GINA, December 23, 2015
Reports related to how the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) was being controlled, are now with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force to determine whether there were any acts of criminality. Minister of State Joseph Harmon made the announcement today, at his December 23, 2015 post-Cabinet press brief, held at the Ministry of the Presidency, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.
The Minister explained that it is not for Cabinet to pronounce on ‘criminality’ regarding the forensic audit that was conducted on NICIL, and in this regard, matters will now be taken over by the relevant bodies and persons within the Guyana Police Force, as they have the ‘purview’ herein.
He however, did emphasise that “In Cabinet’s view there is sufficient information provided in the report to the agencies for them to explore further and basically for them to dig deeper.”
Harmon detailed that Cabinet however, did consider the forensic feedback on the NICIL, as submitted by Auditor General Dr. Annand Goolsarran, as well as recommendations submitted by Jaipaul Sharma, Minister within the Ministry of Finance, who also was present at the press briefing. Minister Harmon noted that, “all decisions regarding NICIL are important and have far reaching consequences, based on recommendations from both the Auditor General and the Junior Minister of Finance. Harmon stated also that Cabinet was advised that the NICIL Board of Directors is yet to deliberate on this report.
He highlighted that after serious considerations, Cabinet then gave directions to Minister of Finance Winston Jordan to “hand over the complete report to the police crime unit for further investigations, to see if any act of criminality was committed, and then to take process forward.”
Harmon added that the said report will be submitted to the Auditor General for specific investigations on some highlighted issues, as the Minister of Finance gave instructions for the detailed ‘auditing of transactions to be done.’ The Minister told reporters that to facilitate facile, transparent, and independent probing of NICIL, the Chief Executive Officer, Winston Brassington and his Deputy, Marcia Nadir-Sharma were sent on Administrative leave, until matters reach a close.
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