Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi has promised to promptly deal with the findings of two financial audits into the Education Facilities Company Ltd (EFCL) which are now on his desk. Al-Rawi confirmed yesterday that packages of the files arrived recently at his Port-of-Spain office in “several stages.”
While he admitted that some parts of the audits “still require further clarification and further investigations” he promised to deal with the financial documents “in the four corners of the law and with alacrity. It is receiving co-ordinate advice from the respective authorities,” Al-Rawi said.
The two audits—one by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and an internal human resources audit—were both completed recently.
Last Monday, the board of EFCL, led by its chairman Arnold Piggott, terminated the employment of suspended managers Veda Ramnath, Ria Narinesingh, Frank Mahabir, Surendra Balgobin and Deva Sharma.
The sackings came seven months after a secret “contract millhouse” was discovered at the EFCL’s head office in Maraval, which resulted in armed guards being called in to secure a mountain of potentially damning evidence which pointed to the illegal manufacturing of backdated tender documents worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The recent firings brought the total number of EFCL managers who were axed to seven in the last four months. In February, EFCL’s suspended CEO Sharma Maharaj and the chief operating officer Kiran Shah were also terminated.
Last Wednesday, Education Minister Anthony Garcia confirmed that Shah and Maharaj have since taken legal action against the EFCL over their dismissals. As the guardian of the public interest, Al-Rawi said he would ensure the respective authorities that work hand-in-hand with his office do their jobs.
“There are parameters and boundaries that must be observed and the Office of the Attorney General intends to discharge that very carefully. It is for that reason we have not condescend into particulars and trial by the newspapers.” He said he did not want to prejudice in any way the matters that were before him.
“What the population is looking for is a responsible approach and for accountability where it is to be had.” The AG said T&T has all the laws which are necessary to give citizens good value for money and insistence.
“It is really in applying the laws and, in some circumstances, broadening a few of those laws.” Al-Rawi said his office has spent a lot of time dealing with matters such as money laundering, impropriety and organised crime.
“You will be seeing statistics and information come out in due course.” In last nine months nine, Al-Rawi said his office has done a lot of work in the criminal justice system, starting with the prisons.
“You will see that I have taken the same approach with the child marriage issue. Very shortly, we will be taking a detailed approach on money laundering and serious crimes. But all of this require some work product.”
About the EFCL
The EFCL is a special state enterprise formed to build, deliver and maintain modern building facilities, utilising best practices in project management.