Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was on Wednesday (June 6) holding a hearing it hoped members of the public would turn up to witness.
The four-member PAC was reported to be following up on two specific issues pertaining to a purchase of garbage bins and purchase of fertilizer from a US source.
The committee confirmed that it expected to hear from Director of Audit Clarence Christian, along with other government officials including the accounting officer in the prime minister’s office – the Cabinet Secretary, and the accounting officer in the ministry of agriculture.
The committee is made up of two government appointed members and two opposition appointed.
The opposition appointees are Chairman Hector John – the parliamentary opposition leader, and United Workers Party leader Edison James.
The government appointed PAC members are Deputy Speaker of parliament Ronald Toulon and Senator Tammy Jean Jacques.
All four are reported to have agreed to the PAC hearing being conducted in the public domain.
The garbage bin purchase and the fertilizer acquisitions have been hotly debated matters in the media where they were described as alleged scandals.
Leader of the Opposition Hector John had written to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, in August of 2010 calling on him to clear the air on those matters.
John in his letter referred to “many discrepancies associated with the purchase of garbage bins by government seemingly on the request of the Roseau City Council”.
“You presented supplementary budgetary appropriation to Parliament on October 06, 2008 and said that EC$764,541.00 was paid to Logistical Supply Solution Inc. for the bins that should have cost no more than EC$200,000,” Opposition Leader John told the prime minister in that letter.
Committee member James told Dominica News Online that in the interest of transparency and proper accountability, these outstanding matters needed to be properly investigated by the Public Accounts Committee.
They are matters that date back to 2008 and should probably have received the attention of the committee much earlier.
However a boycott of parliament embarked on by the opposition United Workers Party following the December 18 2009 general election meant that the PAC remained largely non-functional during that period.
I would like the opposition to spend more time in pointing out the dismal economic situation in Dominica. So far the government and it’s propagandists have done a good job in diverting attention away from this failed state status. It seems to me that the present administration unlike the previous UWP administration is thriving on the allegations of corruption. It is quite evidence that though there are blatant and colossal levels of corruption the DLP seem to be paddling through and getting through the storm every time. The opposition need to recognize that the DLP is actually using it’s corruption practices to cover the woods of economic woe, poverty, failed projects and policies, an administration who is lost at sea with no real hope of for the shout of “land a ho”.
So while the DLP is fully aware that the majority of the color blind supporters are easily bought and sold by the persistent deception from the Tonys , institutions like Kairi or GIS , they get when Dominicans have become supplicants , mendicants, impoverished and born and bred citizens have become the third option in the quest to become part of the working class sector; crime and drug addiction is scary. All of this transition took place while the DLP is at the wheel.
I am not by any chance claiming that those issues have not been highlighted by the opposition and one may say well the evidence is speaks for itself , sometimes a voice needs amplification particularly in a inattentive crowd. The bigger the crowd bigger speakers and amplifiers are required.
Mr James must be having visions of the Bugging Hearing in the Parliament Building in 1994, when he kept drinking water from an empty glass.
Please do not make the PAC a Pappy Show.
DNO, you should not print everything you hear in your news items by stating that it was reported. Do some background checks. Also find out how matters reach the PAC.
Corruption must be investigated whether it happened in biblical days. If not then the saying ‘the truth will set us free’ is nothing more than empty words. Nothing should be allowed to drown truth, not time, money or power or this nation will continue to encourage corrupt people to seek to make money in politics. Five hundred thousand dollars would have been stolen from the treasury were it not for the exposure on the Lennox Linton show and some want that swept away without investigation. In other words we must just accept the excuse the PM gave us about why the money had to be paid back into the treasury? Go Hector John Go.
Stop digging the gabbage bin people.
Every body I think this is even more timely because half a million two years ago is more valuable than today. let us do this for kfc workers in portsmouth, students who cannot get monies promised to them by government, students who have to return home because their parents cannot affort to pay their fees, for the tram workers at lauday, for ritual workers, for the farmers of dominica, for people seeking medical care overseas etc…………
ITS ABOUT TIME GOVERMENTS OF THE DAY AND FUTURE BE HELD ACCOUTABLE FOR TAX PAYERS MONIES DO HAVE SWEAT BLOOD AND SACRIFISES TIED UP WITH IT.
THUS WE NEED TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT NOT ONLY THIS GOVERNMENT BUT ANY GOVERNMENT THAT COMES INTO POWER SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE ACCOUNT AND ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR WE THE POPULOUS IS WHO PUT THEM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE .
POWER TO THE PEOPLE OF DOMINICA
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING PLEASE BE DIRECT AND TO THE POINT.
WHO IS WE ?
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK PLEASE DO.
IN THE FIRST PLACE DID YOU PUT ANYBODY THERE?
IF YOUR ANSWER IS YES THEN SHUT UP.
IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO SHUT UP ALSO.
YOU SOUND NEITHER HOT NOR COLD(TRAITOR TRAITS)
POWER TO THE PEOPLE OF DOMINICA
DID ANYONE SAY THE PEOPLE HAD NO POWER ?
I DO
IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY POWER IT’S BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING– YOU ARE WEAK
— YOU ARE A COWARD
–PAY YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL
–YOU LIKE HIDING BEHIND OTHER PEOPLES NAME
–YOU ARE A CABAL STOOGE
hahaha, we need to go back to communism if you really and truly want government to take full responsibility for everything in our country, as you’ve listed.
Stale news!!!!
THANK GOD I WILL FEEL SOME FORM OF JUSTIFICATION FOR THE SALARIES EDDO AND SPRAGGS USED UP WITHOUT WORKING. THEIR DEEDS ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH THE BI AND FERTILIZER BOBOL. THE DIFFERENCE: WE GOT SOME BACK FROM THE BOBOLS AND WILL NEVER GET A DIME FROM EDDO AND SPRAGGS.
yawwwn, It would cost you nothing to pay them no mind……. in the storm of information and misinformation, where do you stand??? do you have a clue? or does your leader do your thinking for you???
if it is indeed the latter then your brain is useless to you, and your comments are useless to everyone.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS awaken and rise u my people….. we will not be silenced….
MODAH
Portsmouth
free thinker
MET YO
and all other children of the revolution take strength and solace in the FACT that we are not alone…. by the grace of GOD we will press on and foster a culture and country that our children deserve. the children of congoree and all the other freedom fighters who have gone before us, their sacrifices will NEVER be forgotten.
WE WILL NOT RELENT.
TO the a that think the pm is just for the DLP please fulls the pm is for dominica if you a one of the dom in cans that love give me you need to go get a job thats why dominica is on sele and you dont know you a part of the price and its not much you cost so go to the pm and find out how much your life cost the pm dont have a gun to his his head if the job is not paying he can then give it up but as you can see its paying off and all he need to do is ask you to come and pickup a fifty cent from the big cash he keeps making on you all dom,in,can’s
why do folks keep speaking about intergity in Dominica for…dont they see Dominica is a losted cause…
Citizens are extremely happy with their regime in power the outside world considers Dominica to be extremely quiet and calm..
If Dominicans wanted change you would see signs in the country,,but call a General election with or without id card the citizens will be for the 4th time tricked again..
the folks who want to move on should make quick moves to continue to migrated from this island period, as it has shown any levels of getting to higher ground based on the dullness of the Majority of its Citizens…
THEY CAN JUMP HIGH OR JUMP LOW, THE BIN BOOBALL WILL NOT GO AWAY UNTIL DOMINICANS KNOW THE TRUTH. MR. EDISON JAMES HAS A SAYING,” IT NOT OVER UNTIL THE TRUTH IS TOLD.” WHO IS A BETTER MAN THEN MR. JAMES TO BE ON THE PAC COMMITTEE. ALL THOSE DLP SUPPORTERS WHO FELT MR. JOHN WAS A NOBODY IN POLITICS ,MUST NOW TIE THEIR WAIST,THAT LITTLE BOY FROM BARRIE IS BEGGINING TO ROAR LIKE A LION.MANY POLITICIANS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHTS DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. ACCORDING TO CATERRA, WITH DE BIG WOOD IN YOUR HAND,BYE YAOH BOIS, JOHNNY, BYE YAOH BOIS.
Doc. Love: “MR. EDISON JAMES HAS A SAYING,” IT NOT OVER UNTIL THE TRUTH IS TOLD.” WHO IS A BETTER MAN THEN MR. JAMES TO BE ON THE PAC COMMITTEE.”
Is this the same “Mr. James” of the bugging scandal fame?
ou peh bois??? mi bios a gel aw!!
Tom, is not that same Skerrit that is involve in the Bin bobol fame?
I am not jumping into the political fray. I do not support one side or the other, but for a small country and economy as ours, EC$764,541.00 to EC$200,000, if this figures are true, is a HUGE discrepancy wee pal.
We really need checks and balances in place…
I watchin’ still!!!
That’s half a million dollar we…and some WICKED people talking about stale news…
Maybe if Spags were commenting more frequently on current pressing issues, this important matter would not appear as if the opposition is stuck in the past. Just maybe…
Why should this mater be considered water under the bridge? What new issue do people want to hear about when the old issues remain unattended to or have been inadequately addressed? Are we to simply remain quiet and allow all these issues to be swept under the carpet? Why are we prepared to be fooled? Why are we so docile and submissive? What has happened to us? Wake up from your slumber Dominican.
People ask what next they will hear about? However, when the next story of rampant corruption erupts, the same people say UWP seeking political gains. Lennox and Thompson are simply out to damage the good name of the PM. They say it is not true even when the facts are put to them. It is clear that Dominicans may not understand the importance of the Public Accounts Committee to our proper governance.
With regard to the handling of the garbage bin and fertilizer bobol, are we really satisfied that this was properly handled? In both of these alleged corrupted government transactions the ROSEAU VALLEY Parl. Rep was the central figure. Well, the ROSEAU VALLEY is not satisfied that the matter has been thoroughly investigated and it requires some more objective and fair review.
Had it not been for Linton and “Between you and Me” the Dominica treasury would not have reimbursed thousands of dollars. What are we saying about ourselves as Dominican? What signals are we giving to the world? Go online and read about the work of the Public Accounts Committee in England, See the headline from Singapore with regard to its PAC’s concerns with public sector procurement lapses. Read about the actions of a similar Committee in Seoul, Korea with regard to investigations on public procurement matters and the advocacy of transparency and accountability in Public Procurement. Are we not concerned that our government introduced a new Public Procurement Bill in parliament in January 2010 and to date this modern Public Procurement legislation is still not in place? Wake up my people.
Has the full refund been made? If ,and in so far as ,there is still an outstanding amount based on the figures in the Audit Report of 2008/2009 should not the Director of Audit make a further Report to Parliament via the PAC?
Spags boy if this public accounts committee really want to make some in roads you guys need serious sponsorship. If you want to chase accounts you don’t need help form THE old speaker you actually need the CIA, FBI, MI-5 etc . DNO leave my comment supplais . GIS MEANS – Good Information systems – if a GIS sort know about a certain secrete account and when he made some threats he was instantly rewarded what makes DNO think that I don’t know what I am saying.
Seriously, Mister/Madame DNO Moderator, what was wrong with suggesting a REPUTABLE, I repeat REPUTABLE, WORLDWIDE source for your country to utlize for FUTURE fertilizer procurements? My suggestion is the most reputable and have wholesale and retail locations much closer to Dominica than USA and no funny stuff under the table. A country that needs so much help, and you sit there and delete a valid HELPFUL comment, you disappointed me. Have you ever thought that maybe farmers in dominica read DNO and could use that information to help grow profitable crops? By the way I don’t work for that fertilizer company, my grandfather owns a farm, I just thought I would try and help farmers down there, even if it was only 1 farmer that benefited from my comment, at least I tried.
ADMIN: If the ‘reputable’ fertilizer source wants to advertise on DNO, then that is no problem. We don’t provide free advertising and hence the reason for trashing your comment.
I disagree with that train of thought, helping your country I personaly think should be the Priority, but thank you kindly for letting me know why it was deleted, I appreciate it.
So long that issue close? Where were they noh!
apparently u were not there as well
It is a pity that there is such a lack of moral capacity among the average dominicans. Otherwise we would not be reading rubbish about “two years ago”. Time does not lessen the charges! If there are charges to be brought they should be brought in the interest of justice. Most high court cases take at least a year or even two to be brought to trial! What does that tell you? Also war crime tribunals take place more than thirty years later,for instance. It always takes a period of time for the right institution/individual to have the courage and framework to carry out what needs to be done (by God’s grace) so that the perpetrators do NOT go unpunished, no matter how long it takes. More power to the PAC. May they be fair, just and thorough and I wish them Godspeed.
This is water still flowing in our states affairs and neeed to be cleaned. This is an alledged fraud. Jacques Chirac while President could not be charged for questionable deals while he was in office for allegations while he served as Mayor of PaRIS. oNCE HE VACATED THAT SEAT HE WAS CHAGED..WE need to know who stole our money and how was it paid back and who opaid it back and why and why a minister and his brother were invlved. \that is called conflict of interest..
PAC think of ways to create jobs please!!!!!!! speak to donor countries see if they can help out even if you all are not in power you can still make a difference in the lives of Dominicans. To much talk!!!!!!!!!!!
lol…u want the public accounts committee to do that?
boy what is wrrronnggg with those people there nuh lord jesus? lol
so dumb…why not ask your prime minister to create jobs..u guys dont ask for any jobs cause you too lazy and you prefer to beg for money and if you cannot get any money you steal, you ro the crdit union, western union, the banks, you welcome the new roads but allu scared to demand jobs from the prime miniter…so now u want the opposition to create jobs…who are you really? anoter one who atended te Skerrit Primar Cult School…pshhhhhhhhhhh
our PM need to give these people work to do cause obviously they have too much time on their hands to be going back to the same crap over n over n over…get a damn life!! o shate man!stupes!!!
One thing I know the truth hurts and that’s something that is lacking in DOMINICA at the moment so if you have a job be grateful for your hand out.
Spags boy if this public accounts committee really want to make some in roads you guys need serious sponsorship. If you want to chase accounts from Cayman islands, to Switzerland , to New Jersey; to Villa affairs, to Barbados , France accounts – guys you don’t need help form speaker you actually need the CIA, FBI, MI-5 etc .
O God new issues please tired with the same topic guys. Go get new ideas all you recycling issues now man. Tatata…………..
so forget about previous crimes..once it happened lets just move on…new crime comes aong..lets move on…so no crime will be solved….you stay in your lawess land..u need to recycle your mind/brain caue it is definitely not functioning properly …ur reasoning soundds like that of a clueless child
Here’s my issue:
Because of an ill-advised boycott the PAC could not act on a very burning issue, which dates back to 2008. Now after all these years they are gonna investigate….so what happens if they find the paperwork to be accurate?….are they gonna argue that the documents were doctored?….will we finally move on or will this saga still continue?
ok so someone killed your daughter a few years ago….it happened a few years ago so u shud forget all about it. why would you investigate it after many years? and lets say you do find out who the perp is…will u simply move on cause its been so long it becomes unimportant? You people really amaze me. It’s really sad the way yu all justify things and expect the country to progress….like many say Dominica is the caribbean 40 years ago..nothing is happening except new roads and bridges…so may wated fruits and vegetable all over the island..whatis the Government doing to assist in that area??? nada
Excuse me sir/madame did you read and understand my comment or are you just eager to jump down my throat like most partisan Dominicans.
I’m simply saying that it took so long to investigate because the opposition felt that boycotting was more important….and furthermore if they do investigate and find no errors, we all know that certain persons are gonna say that evidence was lost, tainted or manipulated…so when and where will this saga end.
And in conclusion your analogy and what I was saying is like apples and oranges..IF SOMEONE KILLED MY CHILD AND IT TOOK SOME YEARS FOR THE INVESTIGATION TO CONCLUDE…WHY WOULD I FORGET THAT AGAIN….ON THE OTHER HAND IF MY CHILD WAS KILLED AND I CHOOSE TO GO TO….SAY ANTIGUA TO SPEND TIME WITH A FRIEND AND THEN COME BACK FOUR YEARS LATER AND OPEN AN INVESTIGATION, THATS A DIFFERENT MATTER ALTOGETHER.
if it was so important back then they should have investigated the right way and concluded…doh come now and tell me we investigating and if things don’t go our way somebody play in evidence….absolute bul*****
u will disagree with me cause allu are a bunch of lazy people…do something about all the wasted fruits you all have by the side of the road…noooooooooo u rather go beg for money…lazy set of people
Maine thing is: is this RECYCLED garbage bins ?????
and this can be resources in Trinidad.
WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE OR SHOULD I SAY YESTERDAYS GARBAGE.
IT’S IN THE LA-BASSS.
water under the bridge when public funds was used in this manner? What kind of person are you? Do you have your country at heart? Wow!
Are you aware, Anonymous1, that the same “public funds” that you and the UWPwee suddenly seem concerned about were used to pay the absent and emasculated UWPwee parliamentarians a salary although they did not perform their roles as parliamentarians? Essentially, i am asking you, Anonymous1, and the UWPwee clones posting here, are you aware that the UWPwee parliamentarians accepted money from “public funds” even though they knew full well that they did not perform their duties as parliamentarians?
Now, come now, Anonymous1, we are speaking of the same “public funds,” no?
The UWPwee has lost its legitimacy to speak for Dominicans. It now only speaks for its political survival. A hollow organization struggling to survive.
Dominica is hurting real bad, when grown folks like Peeping Tom and Patriot post that type of trash on DNO, for the young innocent ones to read and “like” simply because they saw a red flag up in their house and their politically ignorant parents are teaching them the “red or dead” policy.
As the older politically ignorant ones fade out, new ones are being groomed to replace them. Guess we have a long long long way to go in Dominica.
Well, it is just so sad that we have made politics blind us; but when we decide to remove the political blindfold, it will be too late; chinese would have taken over our soceity; every issue is important – we seriously need to think more of our Dominica and preserving this gem; before making these politicians fool us with roads, lies, lies and more lies. All corrupt leaders come to an end; its just unfortunate that their end is always more miserable than we imagine. Let us pray for our country! Let us love our country!
Hector I believe that there are even more pressing issues to deal with than to resuscitate an issue that was conveniently buried. I would strongly suggest that we move on as everybody knows that those involved. We heard the lying master after denying and covering up the crime admitted that the garbage bin and fertilizer transaction was fraudulent. My question to Hector and Edison- what do you hope to achieve when the people of Dominica think it is OK for politicians to lie , cheat, steal and defraud or treasury. After all they voted these unscrupulous people even after all was said and done regarding the scandal.
Do you guys expect Carrette to investigate the matter ?
Do you expect Julian Johnson and the IPO to pursue accountability?
Do you expect heads to role or politicians to resign?
Dudes let it go – the wheels of justice tend to operate on it’s own sprocket of time and space. Even if you guys should have been in parliament the outcome would still be the same since the garbage bin fraud occurred before you guys boycotted parliament.
could we hear something new guys? the same story going on for two and a half years now.
You heard of new fraud and you are still blind anyway. All you go to church raise all you hand like penguins shouting amen , praise god, god is good yet you people tolerate corruption , lies, thieves. Since the garbage bin fraud we’ve seen illegal passport sales, birth certificate frauds, ALBA sham, Diplomatic status sale ; money laundering; French passport lies and more and you are still shout praise. Sometimes I wonder whether we black people really understand emancipation.
@ Wacko
It’s not their fault no matter what Skerrit does they will still worship him…Skerrit is their God they wanna worship..but wen someone else does wrong they call for stiffer penalties for the average man…stupid stupid people…What a shame!!!these people have no common sense at all as they have been brain washed. When Skerrit Gone nd no more REd Clinic they will just kill each othe cause they will be hungry
What else do you expect to hear? These guys are stuck in gear. Wait for Saturday afternoon and every weekday moring you’ll hear the same story….Stupes.
These guys are stuck in gear you say, what about GIS programming? Suppose you will not have a problem with that.
lol, so why do you listen on Saturdays? ah? why u does listen?????
See why i said that this reflex action is a mere show?! The only reason that the UWPwee is making mileage out of its imminent PAC meeting is because it believes that it has an opportunity to remain relevant by keeping what was a very serious matter for Dominica on the public agenda. This is the only reason. As we will see, the PAC will not learn anything that it could not have learnt behind closed doors. Additionally, the public would not have heard anything substantial that it did not know before or could not have learnt through a press release.
Again, divisive political strategy by a bankrupt party that is desperate to remain relevant. (You notice that i have not said “desperate to return to power”…that is not even a possibility!)
PEEPING TOM , PROF WIKILEAKS all the same – just comedians. You said it was a lie now contention is “by keeping what was a very serious matter for Dominica on the public agenda”. What it is that you idiots will stand for. I would really like to know. You are stating that the stealing and defrauding the treasury is /was a serious matter huh. Isn’t that a clear indication of your rogue like character. You guys are no different from the ruthless drug dealers or even the unconscionable drug addicts (Paros) out there. Deservingly so you come out and praise the police for bringing criminals to justice irrespective of the time thereafter yet you chastise and ridicule Dominicans who are legitimately pursuing justice for crime committed against our people. You frigging hypocrites have your day coming.