Where The $8M Gone?
MP Ramona Ramdial is calling on the Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary, Kelvin Charles, to give an update on the investigation into the stolen $8 million in fees meant for Virgin Atlantic Airways. MP Ramdial is also calling for the promised audit to be made public for the people of Trinidad and Tobago as it is taxpayers’ money in question.
According to the Newsday article dated 29th November 2017 entitled, “THA promises audit on missing 8M”, the fees were supposed to be paid to Virgin Atlantic, however, when the company called to report that the $8M was not received in their bank account it was then discovered that the money went to an incorrect foreign account and was withdrawn and the account subsequently closed. The Fraud Squad was conducting investigations and the THA had also ordered that an Audit be done.
MP Ramdial reminds the public that Minister of Tourism and MP for Tobago West, Shamfa Cudjoe said in Parliament last Friday that her job is to protect the Tobago people, but in usual PNM style she has been sorely misleading Tobago as it appears that the member has forgotten this serious issue of theft out of the purses of the THA. The member can be accused of being negligent in her duties as an elected MP as over three months has elapsed without word on the status of Fraud Squad investigations or audit and this directly concerns the tourism sector of Trinidad & Tobago.
The people of Trinidad & Tobago deserve answers and to quote Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, “there is no right to thief public money in Trinidad and Tobago!”
The Prime Minister needs to therefore instruct his THA Chief Secretary and his Minister of Tourism to share the findings of the investigations and audit with the public.