Last night we told you that Minister of Transport, Youth and Sports Rodwell Ferguson had done a most unusual thing by writing to his CEO Marconi Leal Jr to tell him that all expenditure exceeding five thousand dollars had to be first approved by him. That's a no - no since the CEO is the accounting officer. But, Minister Roddo doubled down today with. Facebook post saying, quote, "It is estimated that Government loses an estimated 100 million dollars each year because of the misappropriation of funds in one way or the other. While I am not alluding that any hanky panky is going on, I have been given a huge responsibility and a mandate to fulfill. This I intend to do responsibly and with rectitude despite any false narratives being constructed to paint a different picture. While many say that the Ceo's are the accounting officers of the Ministries, they are still accountable and must report to a respective minister who they represent."
And as for allegation that there's a whole lot of hanky panky going on - as alleged in reports in opposition media outlets Ferguson said, quote, "I want the guardian newspaper or any other misleading entity propagating false information to bring forward the evidence…Any suggestion otherwise is characteristically defamation of character and I will be seeking legal advice on this matter."
If that wasn't enough, a government release said, quote, "The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Transport has been made aware of a post on a Facebook page operated by Hot Off The Press, and also commentary on Wave Radio's morning show, in which a minister of government is accused of blatant corruption, i.e. attempting to use public monies to install 25 A/C units at a hotel allegedly owned by the said minister, who was unnamed in the post.
For the record, there is absolutely no truth to the information contained in the post, nor in what was stated on Wave Radio. Ten A/C units were purchased by the Ministry of Transport to be placed at the ministry's offices in the south. All A/C units have been installed." End quote.
