MINISTER ACCUSES CORPORATION CHAIRMAN OF POLITICIZING THE LACK OF FUNDS FROM THE STATE

By a Staff Reporter: After exchanges of correspondence with Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley on releases of funds for the purchase of diesel at the Penal/ Debe Regional Corporation, a cheque in the sum of $105,000.00 was received on Tuesday.

The announcement was made by Chairman of the Penal Debe Regional Corporation Dr. Allen Sammy. But following this, Minister Imbert on a radio interview on Wednesday accused Dr. Sammy of playing politics by falsely claiming they had received no money for diesel.

He denied financially starving the corporation saying it had $1.4 million at its disposal to buy diesel but admitted to relenting and sending $100,000 to the corporation this week for diesel purchase. He said after the corporation raised concerns, the Budget Division advised them to apply for a transfer of releases which would then be approved allowing part of the $1.4 million to be used for diesel purchases.

Minister Imbert said the cost of diesel could easily have been purchased from the remaining $1.4 million. He added that instead of applying for the transfer, the corporation staged protests. In light of this, ieNews reached out to Dr. Sammy on Thursday for a response, to which he explained that the $1.4 million was already allocated for salaries and wages.

Dr. Sammy said that despite his stance, Minister Imbert still released the funds as he knows the corporation has not received any for the year so far.

This follows closely on a media visit to the Debe Transport yard where evidence of the cesspit emptier trucks, backhoes, rollers and brush cutters among others were lying idle, owing to the absence of a diesel supply. Dr. Sammy is known for calling out government for publicly showing discrimination against the corporation which operates in four Opposition constituencies.