– Harmon says PS did not raise concerns about fraud,sent on leave to allow police investigation

MINISTER of State Joseph Harmon Wednesday said that the large accumulation of wealth and properties by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Presidency, Omar Shariff cannot be justified.

Minister Harmon’s comments followed a Stabroek News report which quoted a source as saying that Shariff believed he was sent on leave and the financial crimes probe initiated, because he had raised an alarm over the alleged misuse of international donor funds.

While Harmon would not comment on media reports of the wealth and properties Shariff accumulated, he said what Shariff amassed wealth was “exorbitant” and could not be “justified by income, by any public servant, regardless of their position in the administration. He said that any such accumulation of wealth would “raise questions.”
Regarding claims of the misuse of donor funds, Harmon said no such report or discovery was brought to his attention by the permanent secretary at any time and even if this were the case, it was his “duty” to make a police report.
“I can categorically state that Mr Shariff never reported to me any matter involving any sums of money that were the subject of a fraud investigation. In any event, if that were so, then it is his responsibility, even if he had informed me, it is his responsibility as the accounting officer of the ministry to report that matter to the police,” the Minister of State was quoted as saying.
Minister Harmon reiterated that Shariff was sent on leave to facilitate the ongoing police investigation into the acquisition of his personal assets and accounts.
“The fact that Mr. Shariff has been sent on leave is because of an investigation by the SOCU (Special Organised Crime Unit) and he was sent on leave after he advised me that he was being investigated and that the police ranks from the SOCU were at his office and that they were taking him down for an investigation into what he said to me were matters of a private nature and involving tax liabilities.
“So it would not have been proper practice for him to remain on the job while he was being the subject of such an important investigation,” Minister Harmon said.
He noted that even though Shariff was an executive of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), he was given the opportunity to continue to serve in his professional capacity when the new administration took office.
“When we took office, it was clear that Mr. Shariff had been a member of the PYO (Progressive Youth Organisation). He was a very senior person in the PPP and in spite of all of that, when we took office, we said that we were going to rely on his professionalism to conduct what he had to do. There was clearly an opportunity at that time for him to make a separation between his service to his party and service to the government.
“We gave Mr. Shariff the benefit of the doubt and requested that he remain professional in the work that he was doing,” Harmon stated.
Shariff remains on leave as SOCU continues its investigation.