Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis revealed new details about the pandemic food programme under the previous administration while contributing to the mid-year budget debate on Wednesday .
He told Parliamentarians of organizations returning unused funds, “this guy, he returned $100,000 in cash and he still gat more to bring. I don’t know whether he has brought anything back yet as I speak today. This same guy brought back two modified high end trucks such as those used to fuel boats, jet skis and other water crafts, brought two boats, a speedboat and a badge.”
Davis also informed of a company engaged under the previous administration to collect immigration fees. “Under this exclusive contract every person that had to go to the various offices of this entity to pay for work permits and all other immigration fees in cash. What is deeply troubling, Madam Speaker, it the fact that this company was not licensed to collect revenue or to engage in the provision of financial services. This is how loose and slack this was.”
Davis said that the company did not turn over the monies collected, approximately $6.4 million. “The government approached them asking them to forward the monies collected, they said they were holding the government’s revenue in order to ‘expand their business.’ They collected our money, they didn’t pay it over to us because they’re expanding they’re business. I’m sure I don’t need to remind this honourable house that this is a wholly improper use of government funds. It doesn’t end there, that’s immigration, this company is also collecting taxes on behalf of the government in a family island and yet again keeping the money.”
