On the 22 June 2020 the Nation newspaper published a story with the headline $35m ICBL deal in works.
#donvilleinniss
On the 24 June the media reported that former Chairman of CLICO Holdings was being questioned by police. He has since been charged with fraud and released on bail.
#corruption
While some people love to do crossword puzzles, the BU blogmaster enjoys connecting dots!
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This smells like a political prosecution by the current regime. Some crooks can be brought before the courts whereas others have long gone free by both parts of the duopoly.
I thank our government with the greatest emphasis that action is finally being taken against the leaders of blue terror. I also expressly withdraw my criticism of the DPP.
After our government has already delivered Donville Inniss to the Americans, this is now a nice second round. Anyone who now accuses our government of doing nothing about corruption and money laundering must either be blind or a member of the rebellious opposition.
Our Most Honourable Prime Minister and our Honourable Attorney General meet all expectations of righteousness, integrity and justice. I look forward to the forthcoming enactment of our wonderful new anti-corruption legislation.
While he deserves whatever may come, the timing stinks to high hell.
Just observing
No one can argue that this isn’t an eventuality most of us hoped for although it is later rather than sooner so one wonders what political machinations are in place.
Does the arrest mean more dominoes will fall? The nature of this exercise brings to mind the old proverb “There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip”
The same unpatriotic members of the opposition, who are now once again defaming the government as a dictatorship, accused the government weeks ago of doing nothing against corruption.
There will hopefully come a time in Barbados when we shall witness mass arrests of corrupt and outspoken opposition members who oppose the true will of the people.
@Tron June 24, 2020 10:31 PM “There will hopefully come a time in Barbados when we shall witness mass arrests of corrupt and outspoken opposition members who oppose the true will of the people.”
CORRECTiON: There will hopefully come a time in Barbados when we shall witness mass arrests of corrupt and PEOPLE of ALL political parties, of ALL economic classes, of ALL colours, races, religions.
Long past time to arrest those who traffic guns and drugs into our beloved country, and who profit offa the misery of others.
Long past time to get the corrupt offa the necks of the overburdened tax payers.
We tired of being unfaired.
Glad to see this arrest, and if he was a member or friend of the BLP I would be just as glad.
Maybe, please God, one of these days their time will come.
And if Leroy Parris was a member of or friend of the BLP instead of being a friend of our late Prime Minister David Thompson, I would be just as glad.
I don’t believe that our political/economic class all have clean hands.
Can’t fool me.
Boys on the block, naughty as they are should not be the only ones being arrested. Although nuff ‘o dem need to be arresteed too.
Why should the taxpayers of Barbados have to foot the bill for this man’s naked greed?
He pilfered this company for his personal gain even though he was being paid an enormous salary plus allowances and private air travel.
Many people have died of a broken heart and never got back a cent of their money. I have a family friend who invested all his life savings in Clico. He saved all his life so that he would not be a burden to his children in the evening of his life. Just when he needed his investment to pay for pay for his care, Clico went belly up.
All he has to do is to take down the others who shared in the bounty!!
Permit me to add…..the PM will NOT default TWICE in one term. Do the math, evaluate the options, and report.
Right…so when is Maloney going to be arrested for directly causing the death of the 11 year old Holder child and for the racism and corruption he practices believing himself to be a white slavemaster….Mia said he caused that child’s death,.Mia already expounded on how corrupt Maloney is, it is on record, so do something about it instead of climbing into bed with him at every opportunity to the detriment of the Black majority population.
The hypocrisy from parliament to the police force being called out….11 years later an arrest when there was ample time to arrest this crook when the then supervisor of insurance brought it to the attention of the police and was then sent on PAID LEAVE….by this same vicious government…11 years ago.
“Douglas Trotman
March 6, 2013 ·
A note to CLICO policyholders …
Collect info from Owen Arthur which he referred to during election 2013 and which relates to Leroy Parris receiving 3.3million from CIL through a Thompson and Associates account.
Get a clear interpretation from your attorney-at-law on the following:
Chapter 125A Criminal Law(Arrestable Offences) Act.
(1) The powers of summary arrest conferred by this section apply to arrestable offences.
(2) Any person may arrest without warrant anyone who is, or whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects to be, in the act of commit- ting an arrestable offence.
(3) Where an arrestable offence has been committed, any person may arrest without warrant anyone who is, or whom he, with reason- able cause, suspects to be guilty of the offence.
(4) Where a police officer, with reasonable cause, suspects that an armstable offence has been committed, he may arrest without warrant anyone whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects to be guilty of the offence.
Based on the advice… Act or shut up!!!.”
Another black man being arrested. Now there’s a surprise. Meanwhile members of the minority communities remain free to roam.
Here is a good report on a committal hearing. The best I have seen on Barbados Today for a long time. Should make an interesting case.
Attorneys for former CLICO Chairman Leroy Coleridge Parris will be seeking judicial review, on a certificate of urgency, as early as next week, over Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant’s decision to proceed with four criminal matters against the former insurance executive.
Lead counsel Hal Gollop, Q.C. served notice of that intention today after raising several questions about the offences his client allegedly committed while at the helm of the now defunct CLICO, and the procedure under which the charges were laid.
“For this matter to continue down here, a court must be satisfied that . . . CLICO International Life Insurance Limited in Judicial Management has locus standi to bring an action to start, and that locus standi is not an independent locus standi,” he told reporters after his client was granted $1.5 million bail.
Earlier, just before 11 a.m., 75-year-old Parris, of No 8 Dayrells Heights, St Michael, was escorted across the precincts of the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court where his wife and friends, along with Gollop, Michael Yearwood Q.C., Michael Lashley Q.C., and Neil Marshall had been waiting since shortly after 9 a.m.
But before the fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and theft charges could be read by Cuffy-Sargeant, Gollop rose to make submissions which questioned the validity of the charges before the lower court.
Parris is accused of stealing BDS$3 333 000 belonging to CLICO International Life Insurance Limited, between December 1, 2008 and April 27, 2009.
It is further alleged that during that period, he conspired with other persons to defraud CLICO International Life Insurance Limited of the amount by inducing the insurance company to pay out the money to Thompson and Associates, the law firm of late Prime Minister David Thompson.
He is also charged that, between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010, he conspired with others to cheat the Crown and the Commissioner of Inland Revenue of public revenue, by failing to submit tax returns to the Commissioner or account to the said Commissioner for taxes on his income, for the year ending March 31, 2010.
The fourth charge states that between December 1, 2008 and April 27, 2009, Parris engaged in money laundering, where he concealed BDS$3 333 000 – the proceeds of crime. He was not required to plead to the indictable charges.
However, Gollop argued that there was no entity named CLICO International Life Insurance Limited in Barbados, as per a ruling handed down by the Court of Appeal on March 16, 2018, arising out of a civil suit. That judgment saw the name of the company amended to CLICO International Life Insurance Limited in Judicial Management.
“Because CLICO [International] Life Insurance Limited in Judicial Management is
. . . now a creature of the Barbados High Court, anything coming out in respect of CLICO Life Insurance Limited under Judicial Management has to come under the authority of the High Court. The entity has no independent locus standi, so that if CLICO under judicial management wishes to bring anything before a court, it has to be on an order from the High Court.
“So, on the face of it, this charge has no validity,” Gollop argued.
As Parris quietly sat in the dock, his lead counsel went on to point out that the High Court matter, in respect of a Court of Appeal decision, involves the same charges now before Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant.
“So that, jurisprudentially, the matter is sub judice in the High Court of Barbados,” the attorney added.
In that case, in which Parris, his company, Branlee Consulting Services Inc., and the estate of David Thompson were the appellants, and CLICO International Life Insurance Limited in Judicial Management was the respondent, the former insurance boss claimed that the $3.3 million was gratuity payment due to him and not a sum belonging to CLICO, while the entity alleged that the money belonged to it. That matter, Gollop said, was left undetermined and was still before the court.
“So, how on earth, before that matter is determined in one way or the other, can an entity that does not exist – as I said it cannot exist on its own volition – . . . have Mr Parris on a criminal charge which is the subject of a High Court matter which is undetermined? It just cannot happen in our jurisdiction,” the Queen’s Counsel insisted.
He added that under a previous court ruling, Parris, who was the first defendant/judgment debtor, was ordered to pay $1 109 754. 41 inclusive of interest and cost of $23 941. 50; while the second defendant, Branlee Consulting Services Inc./judgment debtor was ordered to pay $3 328 291. 80, also inclusive of interest and costs of $23 941. 50, to CLICO International Life Insurance Limited, which was the claimant/judgment creditor.
“So, CLICO International Life Insurance Limited in Judicial Management has the money. The money was paid over – that same $3.3 million together with interest and costs, taken from an account at Nova Scotia Bank held by Branlee Consulting Services Inc. So how can they . . . bring a criminal charge against him, how can they do that? That’s an abuse of process. They are telling a lie. Here they are saying this man is the judgment debtor, so they are saying he is a thief. Those two things cannot be compatible.
“There is no reason to have Mr Parris before you. They can only come in here under the authority of the High Court of Barbados, and even if they come in here have they been given authority? They have already admitted that the money has been paid back in a similar suit. What will be the purpose of bringing this action at this time, I must ask?” Gollop questioned.
In response, prosecutor Station Sergeant Cameron Gibbons told the magistrate he was not in possession of any of the information to which the defence attorney alluded. He said he had four criminal charges which would be transferred to the High Court once the magistrate ruled there was enough evidence for the accused to answer those charges.
“Counsel, your application is denied, whatever your application is. Mr Parris, stand,” Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant said as she proceeded to read the charges, moments before two sureties – one in the sum of $900 000 and the other $600 000 – posted Parris’ bail.
Parris was also made to surrender his travel documents and told that he must apply for permission to leave the jurisdiction.
He must also report to the Glebe Police Station every Monday and Friday before noon, with valid identification, and return to court on November 19. (Quote)
It is a good report because it argues a technical point of law? When the point is resolved the issue of Parris paying himself 3.3 million based on a false invoice still has to be addressed.
>
@TLSN
You are missing a few important points. This is Barbados and the green eyed monster looms larger than Nelson’s statue. Note the name of the magistrate the case has gone before for committal.
The other point is that any trial that emerges from these charges will also be a trial of the judicial process in Barbados and regulatory incompetence. If I were a consultant on this case, a strong part of my defence will be regulatory failure.
There is nothing they are alleging that, if true, should not have been spotted by competent regulation. If the charges emerged from the Judicial Management process, then the court room is a good place to exam the remit of that inquiry.
It is like driving a car at a traffic junction and both sets of lights are green at the same time. Any traffic accident cannot be the fault of either driver. Claims of speeding and awareness would be ridiculous.
The other point, which is important in the context of Barbados, is that unlike some, Parris is black, did not go to Harrison College or get a Barbados Scholarship, and was beyond his station chairman of a leading financial company.
It is a society of vipers, what I politely call the Bajan Condition.
It is regulatory failure that Parris signed a cheque payable to himself for 3.333 million based on services rendered to a professional (Sir Maurice King) who subsequently denied?
You and your convenient arguments.
What is illegal about a real person writing or ordering the writing of a cheque to himself while also acting for a legal entity at the same time. That act in and of itself if illegal then this writer too has broken law thousands of times.
So…is it true Donville lost his appeal..
Who was finance director of Clico during the period under review? Who were the company directors and senior executives? Who was the insurance supervisor during the period under review? After the substantive office holder was sent home, who was the acting supervisor? Who was director of public prosecutions during the period under review? Why was the judicial management review not given powers to subpoena witnesses and evidence? Have the tax details of Mr Parris’ law firm been submitted to the BRA (or its predecessor body) for the period under review? Were any stress tests carried out on Clico during the period under review?
Finally, the Barbados judicial system will be under scrutiny, since this case will end up at the CCJ. Watch out for the yanks. If any of this money went through the banking system, then the Yanks may take an interest? This is what Donville Inniss has done to our banking and insurance system.
Parris is at best a cipher for the wider corruption in barbados. We have little doubt that many crimes were committed by parris and his confederates on all sides. If the political administration were serious a deeper catharsis would seem necessary.
For example, the criminal lawyers operating in the open.
“This is what Donville Inniss has done to our banking and insurance system.”
but is it not just so beautiful…GREED…and its unintended consequence of putting several spokes into the wheels of the corrupt DBLP governments, corrupt minorities and the Syrian Cartel…all now landlocked even though the island is surrounded by only water…..lol
The question that has never been answered: Why did Owen Arthur allow CLICO to continue writing business without paying into the Treasury as was required by law, the necessary funds required , in order to do business/ issue policies. The Office of Supervisor of Insurance falls or at the time fell under the portfolio of the Minister of Finance. Arthur at the time was both MOF and PM.
What did Leroy Parris mean when he said these words to Prime Minister Owen Arthur at a public function:
I have given you what you want now give me what I want.
How did Arthur come into the possession of a huge check that was supposed to be deposited in the Barbados Labour Party’s account but somehow ended up in Arthur’s account. Why was that check ever issued ?
Let the games begin…..
On another matter: How is it that three me were on a yacht with millions of dollars in illegal drugs and only one has been freed of all charges?
How come to this day that matter regarding illegal drugs on a yacht owned by a company registered in our country has not been concluded by the courts but every single day black youth were automatically thrown in prison for breaking the COVID curfew.
Let the games begin……..
@Pachamama
If the services itemized on the invoice is false what then?
@Pacha
Let us accept that the Parris case is symptomatic of a bigger issue, should we ignore the matter at hand?
@Willam
Let us accept there was a regulatory failure, it would not exempt Parris or any of the officers of the company from exercising their duties under the companies act.
It is amazing seeing the Dems rush out to defend the indefencible.Here we have Austim and Skinner two known Dems , one trying to deflect by dragging Mr Arthur into the debate for whatever reason but omitting ex PM Mr Thompson who was Ciivo, s lawyer for years before becoming PM and on taking up office took up 10 million dollars of taxpayers not his money and pumped into Clico.This matter also states an invoice being sent through Thompson Associates of 3.3 millon dollars.Therefore Austin and Skinner please leave out the red herrings and deal with the major actors in this scenario.As Prodigal has stated many persons has gone to the grsve penniless and it is high time someone is held accountable for this in my view.
It will be interesting to See how this trial plays out. When one considers the damage done to hundreds of small policy holders, I sincerely hope something comes out of it. My concern however is that based on some technicality it will come to nothing, either in terms of the charges laid or from an absence of supporting documentation.
A good lawyer only needs the smallest of holes to fit a dismissal through.
@John A
What about the 5 million dollars lodged with the Central Bank? The PM is in a position to have the matter clarified for the public.
#politicalclass
@ John A
It will be interesting in looking at the auditors’ reports for the years under review and if these were true and fair reports. Did they report any suspicions? We must name the auditors. Who was the bank? Did the bank query any of the cheques under suspicion? Who at Clico had sign off on cheques and at what levels? Did this signing off meet with regulatory approval? Did the regulator approve all key person appointments?
As I said, this will be a trial of the Barbados judicial system.
By the way, given this Clico scandal since 2008 (nothing to do with Clico, but during boom times all crooks look successful; it is only when the water runs out that you see the debris in the drain) it is interesting to note that CARICOM has not done anything about cross-border financial regulation.
Bring it on.
David
No, we should not ignore it. Neither should we ignore other cases of illegality in the financial services industry.
Dodridge Miller from sagicor has long attested to giving both political parties equal amounts every election. How come this here blue eyed boy is not arrested.
Now that is the real question.
We dont know that items on the cheque were false. What we know with certainty is that a lot of actions are taken by corporations and actors therein which have highly questionable legality.
It is exactly because all the rest of criminals are not being charged, in the same way, which makes this a political prosecution.
@Pacha
Let us agree we are moving from ground 0, it will take time to establish an acceptable minimum how we manage, promote sustain social justice and other issues. We must not forget the segment that controls economic power in Barbados and the POWER it brings.
The authenticity of the invoice was highlighted in the Deloittes Forensic report and discussed exhaustively in this forum.
https://barbadosunderground.net/2012/07/04/the-clico-forensic-audit-report/
@ Tron June 24, 2020 8:40 PM
You know very well this is just a comedy about the Greenverbs bag boy which will end as a parody of judicial errors.
It’s just another get-out-of-jail-card of a PR stunt to impress the masses that a sacrifice is being made to the EU and OECD god) who regulate the underworld of tax havens and have Barbados high on the agenda of blacklisting.
Were you, Tron the one who acted as that necessary ‘Complainant’ on behalf of your heroine waging war against corruption in Bim?
What additional evidence did you come across since the recent EU blacklisting imbroglio to convince the DPP and CoP that Greenverbs should now be charged for those ‘alleged’ white-collar crimes which occurred long before the ascendancy of the MAM administration of all angels and no demons?
Instead of you being a leading member of that caste of court jesters in this Bajan pappyshow how about you acting as a real complainant in a similar scam by providing evidence in relation to the whereabouts of that VAT of over $223,000 ‘charged’ on an invoice to the BWA by one of your fellow actors for a ‘legal advisor’ in this comical case of make-believe justice?
Now why is the Technician Thornhill missing in action in all this financial drama since it takes more than one conning brain to collude in crime of such a highly technical scam?
When will Mark Maloney be arrested?
When will they arrest Ingrid Innes and Alex Tasker?
@ Dullard
When?
@ Lorenzo
As predictable. You have chosen, after an interesting break ,to put me back in the Dems column. I guess supporting BOSS and publicly saying at the outset that I will support the government’s COVID efforts , kept me a non- Dems for a while. You are such a predictable little party person. I guess you know no better. Where have I rushed to defend Parris or anybody? Please furnish such proof. Anyway I’ve had Enuff of you.
I wrote in BU years ago that Parris should have been brought before the courts. I also wrote that Duprey should have been brought to justice.
@ David
It was no regulatory failure because they knew CLICO had not complied. We don’t have two thousand life insurance companies. Stop making convenient excuses. Regulatory failure is not refusing to follow the law. It is called non compliance and they allowed CLICO to get away with it. Simple as that. Regulatory failure my foot!
@William
If Clico did not comply with the stopsell order what was it then? You need to leave the emotional stuff at the door.
“What about the 5 million dollars lodged with the Central Bank? The PM is in a position to have the matter clarified for the public.
#politicalclass”
some are saying if that money has not already been stolen, it soon will be..
@ Lorenzo June 25, 2020 7:26 AM
And in light of all you have said in ‘black-washing’ the DLP and its band of political criminals you can still offer support for the appointment of Chris Stinkliar to advise your administration in matters involving money.
Damn hypocrite you are!
Why are we unable to prosecute matters dispassionately? The courts of Barbados will determine if Paris acted appropriately. It does not mean we give him a pass because there are others matters to prosecute or a system that is in need of work. One can look at the US system and the influence the political class has on it.
By the way, is there a country in the world where the rich, the elite are not able to manipulate things to their benefit?
@ Lorenzo
“Therefore Austin and Skinner please leave out the red herrings and deal with the major actors in this scenario.”
To leave out the red herrings , you my friend would have to be left out because all you do is accuse people of being Dens when they say anything you perceive to be anti your political masters. Once they sucker up to Mottley and company you have nothing but respect for them. You are the red herring .
That’s my final comment to you. Really had a Enuff of you lot.
@ Dullard June 25, 2020 8:18 AM
If Greenverbs can be humiliated why not those two now that Donville might be ready any day for Sing Sing?
One is left to wonder what Mr. Green(e) has to say about the recent actions of his much beloved BPF which he admirably compares to Scotland Yard.
“it is interesting to note that CARICOM has not done anything about cross-border financial regulation.”
another question to ask Caricom, why do they tolerate other island leaders that are known to be corrupt..why are there no sanctions for corruption and other known crimes like racism, apartheid, oppression of the masses etc on individual islands, that are well known practices in some caricom jurisdictions, they too are responsible and culpable when they do nothing, they are complicit with their silence…..it is always left to the bigger countries to do something a la Donville, same countries who are always accused of racism, which they never try to hide unlike self-hating racist Caribbean islands that continue the practice on the majority black populaitons…. ….is that not ironic…and just plain criminal.
How convenient the timing, isn’t this a welcome detour from Nelson?
Arthur as Minister of Finance and the portfolio that covers Insurance Regulations and responsible for the supervision of the Supervisor if Insurance allowed CLICO to get away with non compliance by not fulfilling the statutory requirements. Thompson as Minister of Finance took up ten million dollars of the taxpayers money and was wrong to do so to bail out his close friend’s company . And then Arthur goes and accept a big able check from the same CLICO operatives and then Parris is going to tell a sitting Prime Minister (Arthur) that :” I (Parris) have given you (Arthur) what you want now give me what I want.”
In the entire history of Barbados no corporate leader has ever spoken to a Prime Minister in a public gathering like that.
Thompson, Arthur, the BLP and the DLP are all in this corruption .
BTW before he was a Member if Parliament and when he was head of the Barbados Economic Council , the current Minister in the Ministry of Finance , the Hon Ryan Straughn said he would not give the CLICO policy holders one penny. All of them corrupt . All of dem.
Let the games behind……..
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