In his 2009 report Auditor General (AG) Leigh Trotman listed several findings which not only exposed the inefficiency in many government departments but sadly exposed obvious cases of corruption. One such finding was in the Customs Department. He purports in his 2009 report on page 64 the following:
The audit tests showed that for the financial years 2007-09, in a sample of 67 vehicles, about 41 consigned to individuals were listed in the Customs computerised system ASYCUDA as having been released without the payment of duties.
This action would have resulted in a revenue loss of approximately $447 699 in taxes and would have shown a weakness in the controls established by the department to prevent such activity from occurring.
The finding refers to the Auditor General’s investigation using a sample of 67 cars. Was the AG tipped off which might explain the high number of vehicles in such a small sample found to have been released without duty paid? The AG was interviewed by the local media and assured Barbadians that his investigation will soon be completed and all evidence collected by his department will be handed over to the police if it supports further action.
This is welcomed news and BU looks forward to the prosecution of those within our trusted Customs Department who would have betrayed that trust placed in them by the government and people of Barbados. The matter of clearing vehicles from the Barbados Port Authority with the requisite documentation should be an easy trace for the AG’s department to determine who are the culprits. From where BU sits it appears to be a prima facie matter which should not tax (no pun intended) the authorities too heavily to determine proof. Then again we have become use to when prominent persons are involved in such matters how things can be mysteriously swept under the carpet. How can we forget the touted FBI Report which vanished under the last administration. If what we are hearing is correct the names of some of those who received vehicles without paying duties will make for interesting reading.
The revelation by the AG should be of concern to Barbadians. The Customs Department is not only responsible for collecting revenues for the state but also ensuring items entering the Barbados space are legitimate. In Barbados we currently have a problem with the number of illegal firearms entering the country. Who is to say the same crooked system which has allowed 41 cars out of a sample of 67 from paying duties is not also responsible for allowing shipments of guns to enter the Barbados space consigned as ‘apples’?
In an entirely unrelated matter BU is curious to what has happened to the equipment which was used by the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) during CWC2007 as part of the security surveillance exercise. It is our understanding the police had in its control then equipment with the functionality to monitor telephone conversations, monitor Internet activity among other activities which many would consider a violation of privacy if used today. Again it would make for interesting reading if Barbadians were to find out this equipment is still being used below the radar.
Who is guarding the guards Commissioner Darwin Dottin? Who is guarding the guards Prime Minister Thompson/Stuart/Jones?
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