| – as GM declares willingness to go, if necessaryBy Jarryl BryanGovernment has ordered a forensic audit to be conducted into the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB),CEO of Hinds and Associates, Nigel Hindsin a bid to uncover any potential financial irregularity and corruption, the latest in several such audits initiated by the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government.This audit was announced on Monday last, during a meeting the Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder had with millers. The accounting investigation will be carried out by Nigel Hinds and Associates,China Jerseys Cheap, a local accounting firm that has been in existence for eight years.When contacted yesterday, General Manager of GRDB Jagnarine Singh confirmed that the audit was initiated yesterday,Wholesale Jerseys From China, with the auditors already collecting a few documents in order to comb through.Singh also responded to his critics within the rice industry, who have been making demands for his removal from the GRDB, stating that it was only a matter of time that such calls would be made. According to the official, it was possible that he would willingly step down from his position as a General Manager, should it come to that.“I’m a very open person. I have always wanted to serve any government,” the General Manager affirmed.Though the rice sector has had booming production levels, it has lately been embroiled in several controversies, including the shocking revelations by the new government that money from the Petrocaribe ‘oil for rice deal’ was gone.This was despite earlier assurances from former President Bharrat Jagdeo to rice farmers while on the campaign trail that the money to pay them was intact. The former Head of State had also said at the timeDr. Turhane Doergathat only US$15M was used from the fund for projects such as the new Guyana Power and Light (GPL) power plants in Kingston and the Hope Canal, while the remainder was nestled safely in the central bank.In addition,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, there have been demands from farmers for outstanding payments amounting to some $1.9B to be met by the government. The Government subsequently authorized the release of US$800M to go towards clearing their debts to the millers, thereby facilitating payments to farmers. These demands were formulated by the Rice Producers’ Association Action Committee (RPAAC).These delays,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, which are a holdover from the days of the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration, resulted in numerous protests from Essequibo farmers, the latest of which was as recent as last Friday.During these protests, vociferous demands were made for the removal of GRDB head Jagnarine Singh, as well as General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (GRPA) Dharamkumar Seeraj, and head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Agency (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth.However rice experts are of the opinion that things should have never reached as far as they did. According to former CEO of Alesie Rice Group, Dr. Turhane Doerga, the rice that Venezuela took off of Guyana’s shoulders was already paid for, yet there is nothing remaining of the fund to pay farmers. And this,Cheap Jerseys China, according to Doerga,Wholesale Jerseys, is after assurances were provided during the campaign that all the money was in the fund to pay farmers.“They (PPP/C administration) left us with an empty bag and betrayed their own people (constituents).”In lieu of this, Doerga was welcoming of the forensic auditing, stating that there is a lot of money that has to be accounted for.Nigel Hinds and Associates has as its CEO,Wholesale Adidas Hockey Jerseys, Nigel Hinds, CPA (Certified Public Accountant). He is also the current President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Association (GABA). His firm has worked in collaboration with organizations such as Citigroup, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (IIC) and other accounting firms.Hinds, when contacted yesterday, affirmed that the aim of the audit would be to uncover and identify all irregularities that pointed to fraud and corruption within the GRDB. He confirmed that the handling of the Petrocaribe fund would be one of the many aspects in the accounting investigation.According to Hinds, the team of auditors includes George Vaughn, Clement De Nobrega and Godfrey Statia. |
