ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall says the Audit Division might be investigating a number of contractors who have been awarded contracts to assemble homes below the Hurricane Beryl Response initiative and failed to finish the venture.
“I need to put out a warning to individuals who’ve collected authorities moneys and didn’t do what they need to do with it, otherwise you used it for different functions and so forth, we may have the Audit Division audit these issues, we may have the required steps taken to ensure you can account or account for the moneys you got,” he mentioned.
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In response to the 2007 Audit Act, the Director of Audit shall be the auditor of all authorities accounts and, as such, shall conduct such examinations and inquiries as she or he considers essential to allow her or him to report as required below the provisions of the Structure and the laws.
The northern a part of Grenada, notably St. Mark’s, St. Patrick, and the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, was the worst hit by the Class 4 hurricane that devastated the island on July 1 final yr. Within the aftermath, the Dickon Mitchell authorities accredited tens of millions (One EC greenback equals 0.37 cents) to help owners in rebuilding their properties.
The Ministry of Mobilisation, Implementation and Transformation (MIT) was allotted EC$15 million below the 2024 supplementary price range to help with the rebuilding of the homes.
The Ministry of Finance, justifying the allocation to the MIT ministry, mentioned it will likely be used for “Reconstruction of roughly 2 hundred (200) properties on mainland Grenada within the parishes of St. Mark & St. Patrick. EC$50,000 per house, this consists of labour & materials and gear price if deemed vital.”
Talking about alleged monetary misconduct, malfeasance, and irregularities involving public funds by means of contracts awarded by the MIT, Cornwall mentioned that he has heard of 1 or two circumstances the place contractors began building on homes after which disappeared.
When requested why that is occurring, he replied, “I don’t know, however I consider that the individuals issuing the contracts to these contractors have to guarantee that they vet these individuals correctly”.
The rebuilding contracts have been awarded by the MIT and the Ministry of Housing, whose portfolio minister, Gloria Thomas, just lately confirmed that a number of the homes constructed or renovated below the Hurricane Beryl response have been a catastrophe.
Sharing particulars of the monetary wrongdoings, Cornwall mentioned that he had heard tales, and although he didn’t need to focus on them, he gave an instance.
“I don’t need to speak about it right here proper now, however for instance, a man received cash he put it in an account and so forth and every now and then he goes and takes somewhat EC$200 and he doesn’t seem on the individual’s website to verify and proceed the venture.”
Asserting that each one authorities funds should be accounted due to the varied supporting laws, Cornwall mentioned, “I need to put out a warning to individuals who’ve collected authorities moneys and didn’t do what they need to do with it, otherwise you used it for different functions and so forth, we may have the Audit Division audit these issues, we may have the required steps taken to ensure you can account or account for the moneys you got,” he mentioned.
