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FRIDAY,
MAY 30, 2014
Editor’s note: During their recent visit to New York, Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace and Sen. Maj. St. Clair Leacock accused the Government of Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves of corruption and of running an inefficient economy. Leacock was particularly scathing in his attack on the government, pointing to two documents, ‘Report of the Director of Audit’ and ‘Audit New York Consulate’, to back up his assertions. Our US Correspondent, Nelson A. King, attended the town hall meeting at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn, New York, and, acting on behalf of THE VINCENTIAN, obtained a copy of the documents. In the first of two reports, King takes a closer look at the ‘Audit New York Consulate’.
VOLUME 108, No.22
by NELSON A. KING naking@verizon.net; neloking@msn.com US CORRESPONDENT THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has described as “extremely disorganized” and “devoid of important supporting documentation,” records presented by the New York Consulate General for an audit conducted on the Consulate’s accounts for the period, Aug. 2011 – Aug. 2013. THE VINCENTIAN obtained a copy of the report on the audit, which was conducted from Sept. 9-21, 2013, and was recently released. The report, conducted to assess the extent of compliance with finance regulations and other rules governing public sector expenditure, came on the heels of a scandal which resulted in the recall of Deputy New York Consul General Edson Augustus, over alleged visa and/or passport issues. The report said that, because of disorganization and lack of “important” supporting documents, the scope of the audit was “limited,” adding that
“as such, significant errors and irregularities may not have been detected.” Significant findings of the audit, however, pointed to “several shortcomings highlighted in the previous audit report” not being addressed; quarterly allotments remitted to the Consulate not transmitted on a timely basis; no monthly expenditure summary to reflect the expenditure incurred for the period under review; and no bank reconciliation statements prepared for the operating and passport accounts for the same period. The report also said that, as of Oct. 31, 2013, a balance of EC$774,822.60 remained in the Advance Account; monthly payments for Aug.-Nov. 2011 and Sept. 2012 were not presented for audit examination; there were “frequent withdrawals” of sums of $200 for petty cash “without any supporting invoices”; and that there was an outstanding balance of $16,964.16 on the American Express card as at Jul. 19, 2013. Additionally, the report said receipt books, other than those
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EC$1.50
Selmon Walters, SVG N.Y. Consul General in New York, failed to implement or cause to be implemented, recommendations coming out of the previous audit report.
Edson Augustus, former Deputy N.Y. Consul General, was at the centre of a scandal that resulted in his removal and the conduct of the latest Audit.
prescribed by finance regulations, were used by the Consulate General Office for a “significant length of time” during the period under review; and the Consulate Office “continues to collect passport fees without the requisite authority.”
According to the auditor’s report, an examination of the records and entrance interview with the Consul General, Selmon Walters, a former government minister, revealed that although “shortcomings” were underscored in the
Concerns not addressed
Continued on Page 3.