With the Ministry of Education unable to account for how $124 million in taxpayers’ money was spent by the Cecil Cornwall-chaired Joint Committee on Tertiary Education (JCTE), Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis has recommended that Portfolio Minister Fayval Williams ask the police or an anti-corruption agency to further investigate the matter.
In a special probe into the JCTE, the auditor general also recommended that the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service institute surcharge action against Dean-Roy Bernard, the in-limbo permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, and Dr Grace McLean, acting permanent secretary, on the basis that both officers failed in their fiduciary duty.
Bernard is currently involved in a court battle with the Government after he was transferred from his substantive post as permanent secretary to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
The auditor general reported that on January 4, 2017, Bernard wrote to the commissioner general of Tax Administration Jamaica requesting a taxpayer registered number (TRN) for JCTE, which was granted the following month.
The TRN enabled the direct transfer of funds from the ministry to the JCTE.
In a special probe into the JCTE, the auditor general also recommended that the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service institute surcharge action against Dean-Roy Bernard, the in-limbo permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, and Dr Grace McLean, acting permanent secretary, on the basis that both officers failed in their fiduciary duty.
Bernard is currently involved in a court battle with the Government after he was transferred from his substantive post as permanent secretary to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
The auditor general reported that on January 4, 2017, Bernard wrote to the commissioner general of Tax Administration Jamaica requesting a taxpayer registered number (TRN) for JCTE, which was granted the following month.
The TRN enabled the direct transfer of funds from the ministry to the JCTE.
Looting from the children of Jamaica should lead to severe prison sentences and seizure of assets
