–Audit report reveals

LEADER of the Opposition and People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Aubrey Norton, had refused to co-operate with a forensic investigation into Sunflower Development Group project under the Sustainable Livelihood & Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) initiative.

According to the audit report, the project is located at Congress Place, Sophia— the PNC/R’s headquarters. The audit team along with two persons from the Regional Executive Officer’s (REO) office visited on November 29, 2022.

The two employees engaged an individual at the offices located in the PNC/R’s compound and notified them about the purpose of the visit. The team was given the green light to inspect the facility and conduct the investigation as per the norm.

After inspecting the facility, the team was then attempting to approach an individual who is aligned with the project to partake in an interview that is conducted with the beneficiaries from the various projects.

“Upon entering the building, Mr. Aubrey Norton and a few other individuals approached the team and stopped them. They then inquired about the reason for the team’s presence and the purpose.

“Personnel from the team of auditors then identify themselves and Mr. Norton stated that they were never informed of this prior and no written request was ever sent to them. Mr. Norton further stated that if there is no letter from the minister then they will not partake in any form of conversation or interaction with the team,” the report said.

The team of auditors were then asked to vacate the premises at a moment’s notice to which the team adhered to.

However, based on the investigation conducted, it was found that the Sunflower Development Group is not registered with the Department of Co-operatives
Additionally, regarding a generator that was allocated for this project, the encasement was removed and it was left open. From the physical observation of the said generator, the audit team said that it looked inoperable.

The Opposition has been called out for grabbing millions of dollars’ worth of grants under the SLED programme that was intended to benefit single parents and other vulnerable citizens.
A total of $760 million was disbursed under the SLED programme from 2015 to 2020, in increments of $115 million, $40 million, $100 million, $150 million, $250 million and $105 million, respectively.

However, when questioned about this development during a press conference last week, Norton said that he saw nothing was wrong with the MPs accessing funding.

“Our position is simple. Any citizen has the right to access the financial system that loans under the SLED programme. Once they did not violate any rules that said as Members of Parliament or something they couldn’t, I see no problem. Once everything was done within the confines of the law, then I see no problem whatsoever,” Norton said.

The capital programme was first catered for under the then Ministry of Communities but was later transferred to the then Ministry of Social Protection. In 2020, it was transferred to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

In that same year, after the PPP/C assumed office in August, the Ministry of Labour began assessing the disbursed funds and how the projects from previous years have impacted community development.

From the physical assessments conducted by the ministry of the 2019 projects in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), several alleged instances of “fraud and criminality” are said to have been detected.

Several of the business ventures were done under co-op societies. However, it was discovered that several of the co-ops were not registered with the co-ops division of the Labour Ministry.