Government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, who is currently performing the duties of Cabinet Secretary yesterday said that there is possibility that the Permanent Secretary for the Tourism Ministry will be called back to answer several questions relating to irregularities raised in the Auditor General’s 2011 report.Teixeira was questioned about the fact that the service owners for the taxis deny being paid the amounts which were highlighted in the Auditor General report.On Monday last, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Willet Hamilton, was grilled by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee about why the Ministry spent $13M in 2009; and $10M in 2010 over the use of taxi services for staffers.Teixeira told Kaieteur News yesterday that once the owners come forward with the information and their documentation, the matter will be raised at the PAC meeting. Teixeira maintained that it was a serious matter and there must be accountability.Shadow Minister for Public Works, Attorney at Law, Joe Harmon, had commented on the matter and noted that the PAC meeting has exposed that there is a “loose arrangement” within the Ministry of Tourism and some other Ministries.According to Harmon, there should be a greater degree of accountability and a proper system of procurement. “It’s far too much money to be used for taxis…there must be a system of accountability for Government Ministries,” Harmon told Kaieteur News.According to Harmon,Cheap NFL Authentic Jerseys, it is important for the PS to note that he is accountable, since he was the one who was called before the PAC. He said that APNU has been talking about the issue of the PSs’ within the Ministries being accountable. Harmon said that it is the PS who has to hold the Minister in “check”.He said that he hopes that more serious and stringent measures are put in place to ensure that monies are not wasted on frivolous things. Harmon further noted that this serves as notice to other Permanent Secretaries that they are accountable and they should stand up within their respected Ministries.The Auditor General’s report stated that the Ministry spent a whopping $11.1 million on transportation activities. In 2009, R and T Taxi Service, received $7,471,000; Green Ice received $752,000 and Courtesy Transport received $5,538,000; a total of $13,761,000 to transport Ministry of Tourism staffers for supposed work related purposes.In 2010, Indian Chief Taxi Service received $144,000, R and T Taxi Service received $7,153,000; while Green Ice was paid $2,750,000; a total of $10,047,000 to again transport Ministry staff for work related matters.Last year, for transporting purposes, Indian Chief received $5,089,000 from the Tourism Ministry. R and T Taxi Service received $3,046,000 and Green Ice received $2,979,000. However, all of the owners for the services have denied that they were paid these sums. The owners are calling for a better audit.
