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Full Text | Williams asks FID, police to probe $124 million loss at Education Ministry

Published:Thursday | October 14, 2021 | 4:32 PM
Williams says the Ministry of Education remains fully committed to cooperating with the authorities to facilitate all necessary investigations in keeping with the principles of transparency and accountability. - File photo.

Education Minister Fayval Williams has written to the Financial Investigation Division asking that it probes the multimillion loss at her ministry surrounding payments to the Joint Committee on Tertiary Education (JCTE)

The minister has also written to the police and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency offering to provide any information they need in their probe.

READ: Auditor General proposes police probe into $124 million loss at Education Ministry

Yesterday, acting permanent secretary Dr Grace McLean went on leave following the auditor general's report into fiduciary failings involving the payments to the JCTE.

See full text of Williams' statement released today:

The Minister of Education, Youth and Information (MoEYI), the Honourable Fayval Williams, acknowledges the tabling of the Special Audit Report on the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE), prepared by the Auditor General's Department (AuGD) and tabled in Parliament on October 12, 2021.
 
Following the receipt of AuGD's recommendations, the Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams formally referred the matter to the Chief Technical Director of the Financial Investigations Division (FID) in a letter dated October 7, 2021.

Minister Williams also wrote to the Director-General of MOCA, Colonel Desmond Edwards, in a letter dated October 14, 2021, indicating the MoEYI's availability to provide any information needed by the Agency to aid in its investigations. The Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF's) Acting Commissioner of Police was also alerted to the AuGD's report. 
 
The MoEYI remains fully committed to cooperating with the AuGD, FID and MOCA to facilitate all necessary investigations in keeping with the principles of transparency and accountability.

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