Government assets worth $890,449 were stolen from the National School of Dance as a result of the neglect of guards from Strategic Action Security Service.
Alfred King, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, yesterday headed a group representing the ministry before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as the committee scrutinized financial discrepancies flagged by the Auditor General’s Office in its 2011 Report.
The Auditor General’s report noted that “8 items of fixed assets valued at $890,349 could not be located at the National School of Dance, Costume Department.” King told the committee that the police were called in to investigate the matter.
He elaborated that the police investigations and reports have revealed that the theft occurred because the guards who were supposed to be stationed at the National School of Dance were absent from their posts for approximately 24 hours.
Pursuant to the findings, the ministry has indicated that a loss report has been prepared, and that deductions to the value of $890,349 are being made from the January 2014 invoice with the security company to facilitate the re-acquisition of the items.
In essence, Strategic Action Security Service has agreed to foot the bill of replacing the lost items.
