| The forensic audit report into the Guyana Gold Board has placed the head of the newly established Guyana Oil and Gas Association, Bobby Gossai,James Conner Jersey, in another major case of corrupt and unethical behaviour. In this instance, Gossai isHead of the Oil and Gas Association, Bobby Gossaifingered in a multimillion-dollar VAT fraud.The forensic auditors attached to Ram and McRae, Chartered Accountants, said that periodically, the Guyana Gold Board was involved in the award of several contacts. And during its review of these contracts, they made some startling discoveries regarding a company called Safewatch.The auditors found that one of the major suppliers to the Gold Board during the years 2014 and 2015 was Safewatch Inc. The entity is owned by Eon Caesar. Caesar, a former student of St. John’s College, is the current head of the prestigious Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA).The auditors said that payments to Safewatch Inc. in 2014 and 2015 amounted to $35,535,956 and $10,852,143 respectively.These payments included monthly expenses for service contracts, purchasing and installing a server, security cameras and telephone equipment.But the contract arrangements governing the payments to Safewatch were far from being above board.The auditors said that of 12 payments made to Safewatch Inc. during 2014, three of these amounting to $16,021,120, were made on quotations.Ram and McRae made it clear that a quotation is not an invoice and no payment should be made on such a document.What was also alarming was the fact that VAT was included on the total invoice value of all invoices and quotations submitted by Safewatch Inc., including that for the supply of computer items.GMSA Head and CEO of Safewatch Inc.,Carolina Panthers Authentic Jerseys, Eon CaesarThe forensic auditors said that computer equipment such as the server purchased is zero rated for VAT purposes but VAT was still applied.The auditors found that one payment of $4.3M for the purchase and installation of a Dell server was even approved for payment by the former Board Secretary, Bobby Gossai.“In any case,Billy Hamilton Jersey, our enquiries confirmed that Safewatch Inc. is not registered for VAT in Guyana and cannot charge VAT on any goods/services provided, regardless whether goods or services would otherwise be subject to VAT,Jerseys NFL China,” the auditors said.The auditors said that the amounts charged as VAT by Safewatch to the Gold Board in 2014 and 2015 were $4,Vans Old Skool Usa Sale,962,903 and $1,Cheap Football Jerseys College,496,847 respectively.Additionally, it was found that two invoices and two quotations in 2014 stated that shipping and customs fees were charged but no details were provided. The shipping and customs fees on two of the invoices and one quotation amounted to $1,388,235.Ram and McRae said that the excluded quotation did not provide a breakdown of cost.“It is apparent that these transactions contained elements of VAT fraud for which the Value-Added Tax Act imposes serious penalties. We therefore recommend that the transactions be referred to the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Police for full investigations into this Company,” the auditors said.Significantly, Ram and McRae said that according to correspondence with the former Board Secretary, a three-quote method was used to select Safewatch for the supply of the security camera system costing $11,732,126.Mr. Gossai indicated that the evaluation of the quotes and eventual awarding of the contract was done by former Directors Paul Geer and Patricia Bacchus.However, the auditors said that Geer denied that he was involved in any such tender evaluation.What was also troubling was the fact that there was no contract with Safewatch for the supply of the camera system.In these circumstances,China Jerseys, the auditors are of the opinion that disciplinary action should be taken against Gossai for negligence in fulfilling his duty as Board Secretary.Ram and McRae also recommended that all contracts with Safewatch be cancelled immediately and independent reviews be conducted on the camera and server systems which are serviced by Safewatch.They said, too, that all passwords to the systems should be changed with immediate effect. |
