Surcharge imposed on Bernard, McLean over $124 million loss at Education Ministry

A surcharge has been instituted against in-limbo permanent secretary in the Education Ministry Dean-Roy Bernard and acting permanent secretary Dr Grace McLean after it was revealed that the ministry was unable to account for $124 million of taxpayers' money.

Education Minister Fayval Williams confirmed the latest development during this morning's post-cabinet press briefing.

She said, however, that there has not yet been a recovery of the funds paid to the Cecil Cornwall-chaired Joint Committee on Tertiary Education (JCTE) over a 32-month period.

“Surcharge action was taken by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service. Letters would have been written to our permanent secretary acting in that regard and I know that she has taken the necessary steps to deliver the letters that would have come to her,” Williams told journalists.

Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis had made the recommendation in her report to Parliament in October on the allegation that both senior officials at the education ministry had failed in their fiduciary duty.

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

Monroe Ellis also recommended that the police or an anti-corruption agency further investigate the matter.

Williams subsequently announced that she had referred the matter to the chief technical director of the Financial Investigation Division.

READ:Williams asks FID, police to probe $124 million loss at Education Ministry

She also wrote to director-general of the Major Organised Crime & Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), Colonel Desmond Edwards, signalling that the ministry was available to provide any information needed in the probe.

Bernard had been previously transferred from the ministry and is currently locked in a court battle over the matter while McLean was sent on leave following the report.

Asked if McLean will be returning to the ministry this month and in what capacity, State Minister in the Education Ministry Robert Morgan said a determination will be made after the outcome of the investigations.

“It would be inappropriate for us to act without being empowered by the constituted authority. We also have to contemplate that persons have legal rights that they, under the Constitution and various statutes, benefit from,” he said.

“It would be highly improper to pronounce on somebody's future without being empowered by what is being done in terms of the investigation and so on.”

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