GPL board member testifies as Carvil Duncan trial continues

Apr 08, 2017 News

…over theft of $27M from power company

CHARGED: Carvil Duncan

Komal Ramnauth, who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), was called to testify yesterday when the trial of Carvil Duncan continued in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Duncan, 73, of 1977 Williamstaad Road, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is accused of stealing $27,757,500 from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) between May 7 and March 8, 2015.
Duncan has pleaded not guilty to the charge and is out on bail.
Duncan was charged jointly with former Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GPL, Aeshwar Deonarine. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions give directives for the charges to be withdrawn against Deonarine after police failed to locate him.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan had issued an arrest warrant for Deonarine.
It was reported that Duncan and Deonarine paid themselves without authorization.
Several discoveries of suspicious transfers were made by independent auditors who were probing the PetroCaribe Fund, which holds proceeds of oil shipments from neighbouring Venezuela. It was while tracking payments to GPL that auditors unearthed the strange transactions.
Deonarine, who had been responsible for administration had reportedly wanted to receive the same level of pay as the then Deputy CEO (Technical), Colin Welch, but his approaches to the Board of Directors were rebuffed
Ramnauth told the court that on February 11, 2014, there was a meeting held with members of the Board of Directors at the power company in relation to the alignment of Deonarine’s salary with that of Colin Welch. The witness specified that it was a closed door meeting.
“I knew we had a quorum but I cannot recall specifically who was there. I knew the chairman (Winston Brassington), Mr. Carvil Duncan and I were there.”
According to the witness, Brassington asked that advice be sought from then Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, pertaining to the payment of salaries for the two officials.
Under Cross examination by Glen Hanoman, Attorney for Duncan, it was revealed by Ramnauth that the chairman of the board was seeking advice in relation to making Deonarine’s salary retroactive from the time Welch started to receive higher pay. He said that he is not sure if the then Prime Minister gave a response after advice was sought from him.
When further questioned by Hanoman, Ramnauth disclosed that there was a time when unequal pay was being received between Deonarine and Welch.
This trial continues on April 25 before Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
Earlier this year, Duncan was freed on a charge which alleged that he stole $984,900 from the power company on March 31, 2015 by Magistrate Leron Daly.
In light of the court proceeding, President David Granger ordered that Duncan be suspended from constitutional bodies. A President-appointed tribunal comprising of Chief Justice (ag) Roxanne George-Wiltshire, Justice (retd) Winston Patterson, and Attorney Robert Ramcharran, was set up to determine whether the criminal charge he is facing is enough to have him removed as Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
However, Duncan and his attorney, Anil Nandlall, moved to the High Court and had the tribunal halted by Justice Franklin Holder. This prohibits the tribunal from investigating and pronouncing on whether Duncan should remain a Member of the Public Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission and Police Service Commission.
The trial is still ongoing.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News