Ministry trying to speed delivery of ammo purchased in 2005

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) is pursuing diplomatic steps to expedite the delivery of ammunition purchased from a government agency in India in 2005.

Volda Lawrence

During Monday’s meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, which is examining the 2007 Auditor General’s report, Chair Volda Lawrence called on the MoHA to resolve the purchase of some 500 shells, which was sourced from the Ministry of National Security in India. In the 2007 Auditor General’s report, it was noted that the agency had made amends via directives from Cabinet to resolve prior ammunition purchases. However, the report stated that the orders from two suppliers that was valued at $2.336M, which included the purchase of two stallions, was outstanding since 2005.

The supplier of the MTSL shells, the report stated, required arrangements from the Ministry of Home Affairs and in this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was engaged in the issue at the diplomatic level.  With respect to the stallions, the report stated that the supplier was charged criminally for failing to fully refund the contract sum, when it became evident that he was unable to make good on the order. Only $50,000 of the sum involved was recovered and according to the MOHA the matter was processed in the courts during the course of 2009.

Permanent Secretary within the MOHA,  Angela Johnson, told the PAC that Guyana’s ambassador to India, former Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj, was pursuing the matter from that end. She said the matter is being pursued diligently to have it resolved.

Committee member Indra Chanderpal called on the Ministry to have the matter engage the attention of Cabinet, while PPP/C MP Komal Chand supported her view, noting that the items in question were purchased through a government-to-government arrangement.

Meanwhile, the MOHA and the Guyana Police Force were commended by the PAC for having their financial records in order and Lawrence told the agency to continue practising good accounting principles.