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Second NBS sacked manager gets his day in court
Former NBS Manager Kent Vincent
Former New Building Society (NBS) Manger, Kent Vincent, is set to have his day in court six years after filing a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the financial institution.
Vincent had faced charges of conspiracy to defraud the NBS of $69M, back in 2007. He had been charged along with former NBS Chief Executive Officer, Maurice Arjoon, and fellow Manager Kissoon Baldeo.
The men faced a trial in the Magistrate’s Court. The matter was later dismissed for lack of evidence. Citing irreparable harm from the negative publicity and loss of salaries and benefits, Arjoon and Vincent moved to the High Court to seek redress.
In separate lawsuits, both the former CEO and the Manager each claimed $550 million worth in damages from NBS for the wrongful dismissal.
Arjoon was recently granted judgment by the Court to the tune of some $79 million, six years after the case was initially filed.
Kent Vincent, 56, who is now the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Food for the Poor (Guyana), has been anticipating his day in court.
Kaieteur News understands that the date was fixed for hearing after the matter came up before Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, earlier this week. Lawyers representing both the Society and the former Manager present at the Court on Monday were informed that the court will ready for first hearing of the wrongful dismissal lawsuit on November 21, 2017.
Speaking with this newspaper briefly, Vincent noted that he had been waiting for his case to come up in Court for quite a long time.
“I don’t know why it took so long but I hope to get a favourable outcome.”
The two former managers of the New Building Society (NBS) suffered terribly as a result of allegations of fraud leveled against them, 10 years ago. Not only did they suffer financial loss but their professional reputation was damaged as well.
The men had detailed the horror of securing decent employment, following the incident involving the Society. Arjoon claimed he was set up, under the direction of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, because he refused to use NBS monies to finance the construction of the Berbice Bridge.
Arjoon said that the use of the monies would have been illegal under NBS regulations.
But, even after the court ruled in Arjoon’s favour, NBS has still shown defiance by filing an appeal over the judgment.
In a recent interview with Kaieteur News, Vincent who served the institution for 13 years noted, “It is difficult to describe…to put into words exactly what NBS is doing. I think it was said that they can drag this out in court indefinitely.”
The former manager spoke briefly of the suffering he and his family faced because of the charges, disclosed that he feels for Arjoon. He said that he would like to bring closure to the matter.
“I feel badly for Mr Arjoon. I feel that it is totally unfair, on their part; I think it is unconscionable for them to now appeal. We sued separately…ours is still pending. The same judgment will come, as we followed the same procedure.”
“I don’t know if they want to see this man (Arjoon) die before he gets what is due. It is wicked on their part to do something like that. Terrible, terrible…people should come out and speak,” he said.
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