Faris says Govt tackling land fraud

Finance Minister Colm Imbert said a report about fraudulent activity which took place in the First Citizens Bank (FCB) Initial Public Offering (IPO), under the former People’s Partnership (PP) government, is now before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan that in the 2013 to 2015 period under the PP, employees at the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) were being paid $200,000 under questionable circumstances. Al-Rawi, Imbert and Sinanan made their respective disclosures in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The AG cited pieces of legislation on the House Order Paper which have “a direct correlation” to the issue of fraudulent land deeds which was mentioned in judgement in the San Fernando High Court on Tuesday.Al-Rawi said other draft legislation Government is working on, “will require positive proof ” from the relevant parties involved in these matters. Imbert said, “My understanding is that the reports of the fraudulent activity that took place under PP government are with the DPP.” He added, “The Minister of Finance has no control over the DPP.” Imbert said there was nothing wrong with FCB making another IPO, “because the perpetrators of the confusion...namely the PP government...

the former board...the persons in the management who engaged in market manipulation are all gone.” Sinanan said reports alleging that Nidco was going to fire over 100 contract workers are wrong.

However he disclosed that preliminary inquiries coming out of Nidco have shown, “we had employees drawing over $200,000 per month and to this day, we cannot find what they were doing for that sum of money.” Sinanan said those persons were on Nidco’s payroll from 2013 to 2015. He also said Nidco is currently doing a manpower audit and at the end of this exercise, the persons who Nidco requires will be retained. Sinanan reiterated that the former members of the board of the Port Authority resigned and were not fired.