Energy Ministry, Petrojam spar over details of millions in donations

Livern Barrett,  Parliamentary Reporter

Amid allegations of fraud in the award of millions of dollars in sponsorships by Petrojam, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy Carol Palmer today revealed that the state-owned oil refinery has repeatedly ignored her request for information about the donations.

Further, Palmer told lawmakers on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament that investigators at the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) have indicated that they, too, have encountered difficulties getting information from Petrojam about funds disbursed as sponsorship.

According to a performance audit conducted by the Auditor General's Department, Petrojam awarded a total of 36 sponsorships valued at $39.7 million.
However, the audit found that 25 sponsorships totalling $30.5 million were not evaluated in keeping with company policy.

It found, too, that ten of the 12 sponsorships approved by then chairman of Petrojam, Perceval Badahoo-Singh, valued at $11.6 million, were not subject to ratification by the board of directors.

The findings are the subject of a fraud investigation by MOCA.

Palmer said she made repeated requests for information about the sponsorships but to no avail.

"Despite my request for the information on donations, I am yet to be provided with it," she said during today's PAC meeting.

But this assertion was disputed by Petrojam's Acting General Manager Winston Watson and Acting Chief Financial Officer Carlene Evans, who both insisted that the information was provided to both the energy ministry and MOCA.

"As far as I am aware, any information MOCA has asked for, they have received. They have been at Petrojam several times," Watson said, adding that the requested information was also sent to the energy ministry by email.

Evans acknowledged that the state-owned oil refinery received a "specific request" from Palmer but said that Petrojam had complied.

"We did send a letter with the underlying documents that the PS (permanent secretary) had requested. It was delivered by email to the office of the PS. So I, too, am surprised that the information has been deposited," Evan said, adding that the email was dated March 22.

Palmer, seated beside Watson, bristled at the assertion by the two Petrojam executives.

"Up to 11:15 last night, I have received no such information, and I check my email before I go to my bed. After I had my devotion in the morning, I checked my email. I have received no email, and I have been asking for this information repeatedly since I got to the ministry," she insisted.

"So I am very shocked that information is in my office. I take my responsibilities very seriously, as I have been telling Petrojam from the 15th of February (when she assumed office as PS). I do not play around," she snapped.

Evans said Petrojam would recheck its mailing system to "see what occurred in relation to the transmission of that particular email".

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