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The Sagicor Thieves and the BCA Fraudster – Ruel Ward and Jefferson Miller Create a WTF Moment

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Ruel Ward
Michael Pooler
Jefferson Miller

The two main culprits in a scam that defrauded $4 million dollars from Sagicor Insurance company received suspended sentences yesterday in $5 Supreme Court. WTF!

For those who have not been following the case, it goes back to 2005 this matter was bouncing around the local courts. Here is further evidence to support the view by ordinary citizens that there is one set of of justice meted out to the Medes and another to the Persians.

How is it conceivable that an insurance company where millions of dollars are deposited to provide financial security to Barbadians and others beyond our shores is compromised by Ruel Ward and his brother in law Michael Pooler and not a day!

To rub salt in the wounds of honest taxpaying Barbadians, Ward was seen continuing to live life normally while awaiting his day in court,  finding time to be a business partner and friend with member of parliament Santia Bradshaw. Did he know something onlookers did not? Roger Smith, the aspiring Barbados Labour Party candidate for St. Philip and Rodney Wilkinson, the former bag man of Owen Arthur  of former CEO of Hotel Resorts Limited must be looking on with glee.

The other angle to this story is the inaccessibility to links in the Nation newspaper archives about the Ward matter going back to the earlier period when the story broke. Here is an example of the message – see Nation newspaper disclaimer link. Migrating files from one application to the other or migrating from one server to another is standard fare in todays world where backup of files is a routine activity. The Nation newspaper should be made to explain this matter. As the leading newspaper it cannot be pressuring the government on the issue of transparency and it own management practices cannot stand scrutiny.

Next we have the CEO of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Jefferson Miller who was flown from the United States to ‘run tings’. The BCA is a closed shop and and a couple thousand Barbadians get to determine how cricket is managed in Barbados.  Never mind the Barbados government had to spend half billion dollars to stage Cricket World Cup 2007. The headlines across the cricket world continues to resonate at the faux pas by the Joel Garner led BCA Board of Directors. And finally nine days after this story broke the Joel Garner led BCA Board released the following statement this evening – full text of BCA statement. To be honest the statement generates more questions.

Two days after the board of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) took a decision to sack Chief Executive Officer Jefferson Miller, lawyers for the two sides today agreed the final terms of the separation – Barbados Today

After hoodwinking the BCA into hiring him as CEO, it was obviously an impressive job interview via SKYPE – What is this mention of separation package. The man lied to get the job!

This incident has added another dent to Bajan pride as if it isn’t bad enough given the prevailing economic climate.  Barbados has been able to garner enormous respect from across the globe when cricket is mentioned. For the sake of transparency let us quickly suture this PR ’injury’ and move on.

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91 responses to “The Sagicor Thieves and the BCA Fraudster – Ruel Ward and Jefferson Miller Create a WTF Moment”

  1. Boy Blue Avatar
    Boy Blue

    @Observing
    If it were next to Grantley Adams or Princess Margaret with poor black children nothing said would get it re-located.
    ………………………………………………………………………………………….
    Have you ever had a look at the two schools on the outer perimeter of Government House ? One has a high Berlin type guard wall ,and the other a token chain link fence.

  2. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    Well guess what? In America there is a saying which goes a little something like this: ” Money talks and bullshite walks.” And isn’t this a common sentiment throughout our world today; that the POOR, irrespective of race, ethnicity and religion, are marginalized at every and any turn?

  3. thinker Avatar
    thinker

    why are we so surprised at this verdict. Come on, do you expect to incarcerate members of the infamous Ward clan. Rodney W. will not get a day. Better increase the inventory stock on some riot gear.

  4. The Watcher Avatar
    The Watcher

    Oh ye readers. Be of good cheer, Obeah and SanteRia are practiced here!
    Wunnah shuddah check in e trunk fuh de two goat heads and ah box ah cat claws in e pocket eva day fust before writing dis ting. Remember Ruthie from Proutes Vilage in St.Thomas. Wuh he cause many ah man tuh get off tuh!
    But lookah, I even hear dat ah teif frum ah tief mek God chuckle.
    Sagicor is dishonest! Expose that! Tis is not to say that Mr Ward and Mr. Pooler are saints, this is to say that they collectively just found a way to exploit and already exploitative and oppressive system. We should be aggressively regulating insurances better! No waving about that toothless tiger of an agency called the Supervisor of Insurances. They do nothing in the interest of the insured public and then let insurance companies write their own laws when it suits them. So regulate them first and then go complain for Mr Ward et.al.
    Secondly, how you going lock up a boy bout in Bim when their scheme is this large comparatively speaking to our economy? These people CANNOT be doing these things in a vacuum . Barbados is just too small. Someone bigger and more influential usually if not always knows whats going on, and is quietly approving of it. Often, these people are the silent beneficiaries of these schemes. Whats even more interesting to note is that this is one place where with the correct analytical mechanisms put in place, left to function in an un-biased, non-partisan manner, and vetted to ensure they aren’t used in which hunts, would result in very few incidents of fraud especially of the financial kind that could occur here.
    They are Computational Finance software packages which are well tuned to detecting and uncovering anomalous events that are so well integrated with Neural Networks, Artificial Intelligence and Bayesian Analysis algorithms, that even the smallest amount of fraudulent activity, given sufficient time, will produce a sufficiently large data set that can be accurately analyzed for incidents of unusual activity.
    Simply put, we have the capacity to become a world powerhouse in Financial Fraud Detection and Prevention if we so desired.
    But if we dared do such, we couldn’t get all sorts of lavish sea going gifts and other wonderfully appointed automobiles which can almost exceed our “known” earning power.
    Ah well! Beat up on Santa-Ria beliving-in, goat head in trunk having, pompous little Ruel who is now officially broke after having to sell off all that he had to pay back about half of that $4Mil he supposedly stole. He makes a nice whipping boy.
    But all he did was follow the lead of so many whove gone ahead of him whose names cant be printed in the papers of called in public because of who they are perceived to be.
    Fraud of this type isn’t stopping around here anytime too soon, but as long as we have to right scapegoat to point a finger at, we’ll all go back to our respective corners and hope that what we’re doing, isn’t caught or brought to the public.
    Until then my brothers and sisters, Thief on!

  5. John Hanson 1781-1782 Avatar
    John Hanson 1781-1782

    Caswell Franklyn | October 11, 2014 at 9:21 PM |

    I have the greatest respect for Madam Justice Crane-Scott?

    You have this one wrong , She is also a part of the problem and have her own nasty past dealings. Protect and Serve the fraud men of Barbados.Why you thing they end up in her court ,

  6. balance Avatar
    balance

    “This incident has added another dent to Bajan pride as if it isn’t bad enough given the prevailing economic climate.”
    In my view the biggest dent to Bajan Pride as you put it in the entire history of white collar crime in Barbados is THE CLICO PONZI SCHEME FIASCO which has inflicted devastating financial damage on the lives of thousands of Barbadians and where one of the perpetrators continue to live high on the hog. All other incidences pale in comparison.

  7. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Errol Barrow made in mandatory that any seaport worker or airport worker produce a clean Certificate of Character to the Seaport or Airport
    Authorised Officer before he/she can be hired in ANY position at those facilities”
    Mr Barrow could never have done such a thing.

  8. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    John Hanson

    I will not join you in that crap. I do not agree with her judgment in this case but that does not mean that she did anything wrong. This case alone would not make me lose respect for her. She is one of the more analytical judges on the Bench right now. I worked with her many years ago and I can attest that she has a superior intellect. She is entitled to get one wrong. She is not the end of the process that is why I have stated that the DPP should appeal; if he does not, it would mean that he is comfortable with the judge’s decision.

    >

  9. Dr Love Avatar
    Dr Love

    Oh o ho h he he he he hah ah ah ah aha n ohJAYSASSSSSSSSSSSS
    LOL oh Bus mah balls.
    Heh he he heh
    I ent stop Laffin,
    Shite man .
    Dis Heah is bare shoite.

    BAHBADUS bout de mos corrupt ,disjoint ,malarkey bunch a crap politicians anyplace.

    YUH expected JUSTICE???
    Heh heh heeh Call me DPP Leacock en wunna hear me laff al de way tuh de bank.

  10. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    Until we can resolve the CLICO debacle effectively, we cannot expect anyone to be sent to prison for fraud…..unless of course HE IS NOT MY FRIEND AND HE IS A LEPER!

  11. David Avatar
    David

    Leroy Parris and Terence Thornhill filed an injunction a while back, that has stalled prosecution you should recall.

  12. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Caswell
    You can be so naive sometimes…. 🙂
    …ask Plantation DEEDS….

    The system is as bent as it is precisely because we have such “analytical” officials in critical positions.
    …you will learn…..

  13. David Avatar
    David

    This fraud must be a black eye for Sagicor. Bear in mind Roger Smith weasel 1.5 million out of them as well.

  14. just asking Avatar
    just asking

    Why all this fuss? Has Leroy Parris ever spent a day in court? Come on bajans have a heart !!!!!!! LOL

  15. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    Waiting | October 12, 2014 at 9:34 AM |
    Hill don’t go down the restitution road. Who is going to restitute the $100 million taxpayers saddled with to pay court jester Barrack who should never have gotten that building contract.
    ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
    You are talking rear end nonsense. Barrack did in fact completed a quality building, but you must also understand that it was the professionals who did the work. Also, you can look at Jonathan Danos of 3s fame who built the highway. He was a salesman with a Road Building contractor and was able to mobilised professional workers after winning the contract to build the ABC Highway. The only objection I had was the so-called Flyover talk which will never solve the grid-lock headache on our highways.
    So Waiting, you cannot link Barrack with Ward, Wilkinson et al

  16. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    Miller, has there been any reported case of Ebola being transmitted from person to person either than by bodily liquid contact? So therefore, your above mentioned question seems to be void of substance.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    Have a read of the Barbados Today editorial questioning the robustness of the BCA’s due diligence on the recruitment of Jefferson Miller.

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/10/13/bcas-noise-echoes-its-silence/

  18. erice Avatar
    erice

    Balance-please check your nupw is there a difference- same scam different players–car valuation scam–credit card scam -car parts scam etc e scam
    cell phone- scam -training fund scam

  19. David Avatar
    David

    According to todays Press Rodney Wilkinson remains in prison while the authorities run due diligence on the capacity of his sureties to support 1.5 million bail.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    Island Life – some people steal millions of dollars and get probation ….. A man stole a can of peas and soap but gets TWO YEARS IN JAIL. You have to love our judicial system ‪#‎barbados‬ ‪#‎twobuhbadoses‬ ‪#‎doublestandards‬ ‪#‎nojustice‬

    Island Life - some people steal millions of dollars and get probation ..... A man stole a can of peas and soap but gets TWO YEARS IN JAIL. You have to love our judicial system #barbados #twobuhbadoses #doublestandards #nojustice

  21. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Added to the list of fraudsters must surely be the Barbados Government and its Minister of Transport and Works Michael Lashley, who today let it be known ,in reference to another UCAL strike,that “neither the public nor the Transport Board will be held to ransom.”
    But it seems that its ok for him and the Transport Board to hold UCAL to ransom.

  22. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    What a pity that we are no longer hearing from PLANTATIONS DEEDS, especially now that noted historian Sir Woodville Marshall is running a series in the Sunday Sun and Nation on The Panama Estates, which comprised Colleton,St Peter, Trents, Lascelles ,Four Hills and Mount Prosper,all purchased by many of those Bajan workers who went to Panama to work in the construction of the canal. Looks like fraud and manipulation was always a part of the Barbadian way of life.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    Plantation Deeds is having a problem posting to BU, his comments are going to spam which suggest he has been banned on another WordPress platform and it has affected posting to BU.

  24. Postage Paid Avatar
    Postage Paid

    Tell me Why

    You understand that Barrack failed to prequalify for the Warrens building and consequently he was NOT invited to tender?

    YET MIRACOUSLY WHEN THE TENDER BOX WAS OPENED AT NHC THERE WAS A TENDER FROM BARRACK. WORK OUT THAT.

  25. XXXX Avatar
    XXXX

    MILLER TIME, HAVE A COLD ONE AND COOL YOUR SELF. MILLER HAVE PLENTY OF FRIENDS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO HE PLAYED CRICKET WITH FROM A YOUNG AGE, CHECK THE RECORDS BOOKS. HOWEVER, KNOWING SOMEONE GIVE YOU A LEG UP WHEN APPLYING FOR A JOB. mr. J.G. PLEASE TELL US HOW LONG YOU AND MR MILLER GOES BACK. THEN YOU FIND SOME ANSWERS. ONE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, MILLER YA CORRECTION OFFICER COULD BE IN BiM SOON LOOKING TO DRAG YA ASS BACK TO FLORIDA, TRUST ME YOU JUST DON’T PICKUP AND RUN AWAY FROM TWELVE YEARS OF PROBATION CALL THE COUNTY AND SEE IF HIS P. OFFICER WOULD LIKE TO GET A HAND ON HIM…

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @XXXX

    What are you saying? Miller was given the job because of his relationship with Board members? If so, what role Profiles Caribbean played in the transaction.

  27. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    You seems to have an archaic mind, thus the moniker POST PAID. However my friend, qualification of a tender can be based on the tender not having adequate funds and might not hamper the ability to produce. How about tenders being offered now without going out to tender. Answer that Post Paid, How about using modern day technology instead of postage.

  28. Harold Avatar
    Harold

    to erice
    Sometime ago I wrote about tiefing Dennis Clarke and David (BU)’s advice was to let the staff of the NUPW be whistle blowers.
    Whistle blowers to who.
    Not the General Council, who, according to Dennis and Walter are goats. Not The Inland Revenue now BRA who is fully aware of the infelicities when it comes to taxes on the audi. Not one blind cent has been paid by Clarke
    Dennis who rack up a parts bill for thousand of dollars,
    Maloney who owes thousand of dollars in cell phone bill,
    Dennis is claiming more vacation than he is due (he used all his vacation when he was ill)
    Dennis who is asking for more time to finish his work – Dennis go home and Walter, please follow soon after

  29. David Avatar
    David

    @Harold

    Send the evidence to BU, pictures, documents etc.

  30. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    CL Buggy

    Do you have any recollection of Panama money buying Plantations,through the Civic society earlier than the ones Sir Woodville is talking about,such as Joes River and Crab Hill,two names I have heard mentioned?

  31. Bimlady Avatar
    Bimlady

    They are not even shame, back in the old days we will tell them go get some shame bush and wash your faces, (at least put your hands in front your faces) sad sad;;;;;

  32. erice Avatar
    erice

    Harold-Dennis has told the Executive that he wants to buy that $235000 duty free car for $10000 and the cell phone crook agreed
    They are finding ways to keep stealing all the time
    the other question is who stole the funds from the Q in the comunity event that was held at nupw.
    who dennis got to give a fraud valuation on the car ?
    more car and insurance scam

  33. fedup Avatar
    fedup

    See all dis? I don’t give 2 f*cks. Friend of mine was ACCUSED and dismissed via a letter from a dip mission for ‘stealing funds’. NO AMOUNT MENTIONED. NO EVIDENCE EITHER. Mission int had nuh dealings wid $ ‘cos another mission handled that ok? Mission man left BIM quietly. My friend got his unemployment benefits for 6 months (yuh doan get it wen yuh tief). OAS (I have my mother’s eyes) was supposed to ‘look into the matter’ .. 14 years now and nuttin. Again, I doan care who tief, who get bail or who get jail.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    The system will continue to implode as public confidence erodes.

  35. erice Avatar
    erice

    David when these organizations have some one to challenge them -they always gang up to ensure that person leaves the organization.
    i

  36. erice Avatar
    erice

    see how nupw ganged up on the External Auditor yet 2011 financial statements have not be presented as yet
    and Walter Maloney has not repaid any of the cell phone bills as yet

  37. David Avatar
    David

    @erice

    Karma is a great leveller.

  38. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    @Vincent Haynes
    The truth is, no body , not even the politicians of the day wanted to rock the boat in reference the Panama Estates. I had two close relatives, who eventually returned from Panama to live in St Joseph and I ‘ve never heard them speak of the Panama Estates. During the final years of its operation, Joes River Factory was ran by a Co-operative, and one of its shareholders lived in Chimborazzo, but I am not sure if he had been to Panama. I am not sure either if this Co-Operative, also ran the adjoining estates of Joes River Plantations Ltd, namely Joes River, Frizers and Mellows plantations, which soon afterwards started to go out of production,after the shut down of the factory . I can recall a Simmonds or Symonds of the Co-operative Bank which was located at the corner of Marhill Street and St Michael’s Row, “took” over Mellows Plantation and began “selling” it out in large lots,to people who later found out that they were never given or entitled any title deeds for the land.
    It appears as if the Chancery in those days were were not as honest as it was expected to be.
    Going to primary school , I had always wondered , why Mount Wilton trucks ,when loading canes at Todds Corner, had to park in the drive way of Chimborazzo Plantation house,and why was this particular field ,owned by Mount Wilton ,was virtually under the windows of Chimborazzo House. Sometime in the mid 1970’s a young manager at Mount Wilton, looking over the map of the plantations land could not find this field. It transpired that Chimborazzo plantation at one time went into the hands on the Chancery, and the head of the Chancery was also the Guardian of Mount Wilton Plantation,and eventually when Chimborazzo was handed back to its new owners, the field at Todds Corner was stuck onto Mount Wilton’s lot. Years later ,after HB Niblock had bought Chimborazzo, he was surprised with the return of some 10 acres of land.
    Like PLANTATION DEEDS, always say, Thieves , Liars and Scumbags. Fraud in Barbados is not new.

  39. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Colonel Buggy |
    Thanks your reply,I am aware of some of the things said by you.
    Somewhere in the old brain,I am thinking that at the turn of 1900’s a lot of plantations were in Chancery and I am sure I heard that fresh Panama money bought some and that Crab Hill was one.I can see now that the St.Joseph estates were different kettle of fish…..including some stinking ones…..chuckle.

  40. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    @Vincent
    Here is an interesting list of plantations and owners in Barbados.It goes back to 1913. Cannot locate any list subsequent to this.
    http://www.creolelinks.com/1913-barbados-plantation-owners-names.html

  41. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Colonel Buggy | October 16, 2014 at 11:04 PM |

    Thanks your above…..will scratch my head some more re the earlier Panama Estates………The Mount All ownership in St.Andrew is interesting.

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