Govt requests forensic audit into contract awarded to PNCR executive
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall has written to the Auditor General, requesting an immediate forensic audit into the details surrounding the contract awarded to PNCR executive, Larry London, to the tune of US$150,000.
Universal Procurement Services Incorporated is the company that won a Ministry of the Presidency -Department of Citizenship contract, with Mr. London listed as the principal.
The Florida-based business was used to procure 100,000 birth certificates, as was disclosed by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, the Hon. Gail Teixeira during the Committee of Supply examination of the Budget Estimates on Monday.
In the letter, the Attorney General asked the Auditor General to forensically examine, inter alia, the following:
- Whether there was compliance with the provisions of the Procurement Act and if not, the reasons for the non-compliance;
- Reasons why the service of the conventional publisher of these documents were not sought;
- Had the services of the conventional publisher of these documents been retained, what the estimated costs would have been to print and publish said documents;
- What is the status of the company contracted at the time of the contract?
- What was/is its main line of business?
- What experience does it possess, in relation to similar work?
- What due diligence, if, any was conducted prior to the award of the contract?
- Was there a need for 100,000 birth certificates forms at the time when the contract was entered into?
- Comparatively, what is the quality of the documents produced?
Copies of the letter were also sent to President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Robeson Benn.