Sattaur alleges collusion between Glenn Lall and ICAG members
Khurshid Sattaur
Khurshid Sattaur

-Cites ‘disturbing’ revelations, ‘glaring’ evidence as grounds for charge

THE Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana (ICAG) – the local branch of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) – was called on, among other things, to confirm that it has launched an investigation into possible misconduct by the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Commissioner-General, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur.

Glenn Lall
Glenn Lall

And in a letter, signed by the by Ramesh Persaud, Chairman of the Investigations Committee of the ICAG, it was confirmed that a meeting was held on October 22, 2014 to deliberate on the complaint made by Mr. Glenn Lall regarding the alleged misconduct of the GRA Commissioner-General.
The letter stated that the Disciplinary Committee of the Institute has ordered, as a standard procedure, that the Commissioner-General respond to the allegations.
However, Sattaur, in a statement, issued by the GRA Public Relations Department, contends that there seems to be some level of collusion afoot between the Lall, the publisher of the Kaieteur News, and ICAG members.
“(I am) is extremely disturbed over revelations made that suggest very high level of collusion between members of the Council sub-committee who refer to themselves as disciplinary committee members of the local accountancy body and Glenn Lall owner of the Kaieteur News,” he said.

DISTURBING REVELATIONS
According to him, the revelation comes one day after this newspaper carried an article in which he was quoted as having contacted the ICAG Administrative Officer, Cardilla Agard, who denied any knowledge of a meeting or decision taken on the matter.
This confirmation was given despite the fact that Kaieteur News, on the same day, carried a front page article referring to a decision taken to undertake a probe.
Sattaur said, “What is extremely irregular and disturbing is the fact that the meeting of the Disciplinary Committee, which according to the letter had deliberations on Wednesday, October 22, and informed the Council of its decision presumably after the meeting was concluded.
“Yet this information appeared in the headlines of the KN newspaper of the very day of Wednesday, October 22, edition. This is a clear indication that the members of the said disciplinary subcommittee informed Glenn Lall of their decision prior to the meeting and deliberations of the Committee.”
The question being posed now relates to the possibility of the publication of the ICAG Committee’s decision on the day of the Committee’s meeting, before a decision was even made.
“How is it possible for a media outlet to publish the decision by an independent investigative agency one day before it was actually made? Further, how can the communication to the Commissioner-General be officially made two days after the Kaieteur News printed headlines of the decision when the owner of the Newspaper is the complainant?” Sattaur queried.

ACCA INVOLVEMENT
To this end, the GRA Head is reportedly also questioning how is it he is being subject to disciplinary proceedings by the ICAG’s Disciplinary Committee, when he is not engaged in public practice and therefore not subject to the ethics that professional accountants subscribe to, but rather is a public servant and carries out statutory functions prescribed in law.
“This suggests extreme bias and lack of knowledge of their (ICAG’s) byelaws,” he opined
Having discovered this “glaring evidence of obvious collusion” between Lall and the ICAG, the Commissioner-General is calling on the ICAG to stop this charade and travesty immediately.
He said, “A report is presently being compiled that will be lodged with the ICAG parent body in the UK, the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) pertaining to the highly irregular actions on the part of the members of the local Disciplinary body. Clippings of the newspaper article and letter stating the councils’ decision made on the very same day will be submitted as evidence.
“(I) intend to write the ACCA asking for an investigation to be conducted into this obvious collusion with the owner of the Kaieteur News to discredit the good name and standing of an outstanding FCA member.
“It would appear also that some of these members may be aiding and abetting the Kaieteur New alleged reckless behaviour of fraudulent under reporting of income and have now joined forces with the newspaper owner to have my image tarnished with the hopeful consequence that the audit against Lall will not proceed.”

POSSIBLE SANCTIONS FOR ICAG
Additionally, a partner of a leading accounting firm has indicated that if ACCA investigated this “very invidious” act by ICAG members, who are put in a position of trust to investigate perceived wrongdoings of their fellow members, and found them guilty of misconduct, it could result in sanctions for the said ICAG members.
The Firm’s partner said, “If found guilty (of grave misconduct of presumably making deals with and promises to the accuser to prejudice the outcome of the investigation) these very members can face lifetime ban and would never be allowed again to practice their profession.
“All the evidence of their complicity suggests grave misconduct on their part, as Lall whether out of ignorance or some unfathomable reason has been very liberal in using his newspaper to attack the character of the Commissioner-General, according to the Partner.
“How Lall would have exerted his influence on the disciplinary committee members one of whose member is the son of the leading partner of an Accounting Firm is speculative.”
According to the accountant one is led to conclude that these accountants are now in collusion with Lall to prevent a probe of their complicity with the alleged tax cheat.
To this end, Sattaur’s lawyers are also considering the possible sanctions of those alleged corrupt professional accountants, including reporting their “highly unethical and immoral” conduct, as well as serious misconduct and malpractice to the ACCA.

NOT SUBJECTED
Additionally, the Commissioner-General contends that while he has nothing to hide he cannot submit himself to an investigation, given the belief that there is a level of collusion between Lall and ICAG members.
He said, “From this major disclosure it would now appear to any right thinking person, to be extremely biased and that it is evident they have been in direct communication with Lall. It would appear also that they would have promised Lall certain courses of action, which definitely gave him the confidence to have published their decisions before they are taken.
“This would suggest further that at least three individuals would have committed to Lall that they will disbar me, which is highly irregular, illegal, void, arbitrary and outside of their powers.”
Sattaur contends that the “discredited members” of the ICAG Disciplinary Committee ought not be the ones continuing any probe.
“Were this demand, of immediately revoking any probe by these discredited members of the Disciplinary Committee, not to be adhered to, the Commissioner-General will publish his response to the clarification sought by the disciplinary committee and take other measures not limited to legal action to prevent any further involvement of the institute in this matter,” the GRA Head concluded.

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