Fraud found in security contract payments

…collusion between security firm and Region Three senior officials floated

A REGIONAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS STUMBLED ON WHAT APPEARS
TO BE A WELL-ORCHESTRATED PLOT which bilked Essequibo Islands/West Demerara
(Region Three) coffers of tens of millions over a three-year period.
Former senior Regional officials have been fingered in the multi-million-dollar plot.
Documents seen by this media house show that Sentinel Security replaced Homesafe Security to
protect Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools in the 3,755 km 2 (1,450 mi 2 ) agriculture-based area
inhabited by close to 110,000 residents.
Mr. Emile M c Garrel, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities, now the
Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, signed the contract when Ronald
Bulkhan was its subject Minister.
A PERUSAL OF THE DOCUMENT SHOWS THAT SEVERAL OF THE SCHOOLS
THAT INVOICES WERE BEING BILLED FOR WERE IN THE COMPOUNDS OF
OTHER SCHOOLS. This, an official speaking on conditions of anonymity said, provided
loopholes which were exploited by the security company and senior officials who it is likely,
might have received kickbacks.
“At some of our primary schools we have nursery schools in the very compound, and instead of
charging for one compound, they would charge for two. What was worse is that on several
occasions they claimed to have four guards each at the primary and nursery schools and six at the
secondary schools, but in many cases, it was one or two guards guarding. There were instances
where sometimes no guards would turn up for work,” the official with intimate knowledge of the
details, told www.aroundtheregions.com
Acting Principal Assistant Secretary (PAS), Selota Daniels whose substantive appointment is
Chief Accountant, stumbled upon the illegal scheme which bled some $5M per month from the
Regional coffers between 2017 to 2020 in favour of Sentinel Security.

IT IS CLAIMED THAT DANIELS REPORTED THE MATTER to the then REO, Ms.
Jennifer Ferreira-M c Dougal, who initiated investigations.
“This is something that the REO before Ms. M c Dougal (Mr. Dennis Jaikarran) knew but did
nothing about,” the whistleblower said.
MR. FOWLER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SENTINEL IN REGION THREE, IS A
FRIEND WITH MR. JAIKARRAN and whenever anyone sought to raise questions in relation
to it, they were sidelined,” the official disclosed.
Contacted for a comment, former REO Ms. Jennifer Ferreira-M c Dougal distanced herself from
the potential criminal plot.
“I never signed a contract; the contract was signed by Communities. We (neither Jaikarran nor I)
signed a contract. The former Minister, Mr. Ronald Bulkhan and former Permanent Secretary
(PS) Mr. Emile Mc Garrel, will have to explain about the contracts,” Ferreira-M c Dougal said.
SHE SAID THAT WHILE ACCUSING FINGERS ARE BEING POINTED TO HER AND
JAIKARRAN, they never engaged the security company. She said M c Garrel instructed the
Region to accept the Sentinel Security to protect the Region’s education buildings.
“After the PS had signed the contracts, he would send it to us to go through, but we never had the
authority to sign as the PS and the Minister Bulkan were the ones who made the arrangements
with the security company,” Ferreira-M c Dougal explained.
Ferreira-M c Dougal feels Chief Accountant Daniels is desperately seeking her ‘place in the sun’
and continues inventing fraudulent schemes and linking her to them.
FERREIRA-M C WHO IS MAINTAINING HER INNOCENCE, said she has always
operated professionally and above board.
“As the REO I checked things, if I see something is wrong, I send it down (for staff to provide
details). I (would) ask for a report (from) all the programme heads. Some of then gave so I can’t
really answer that. If I give an answer of yes or no, I will be liable,” she opined.

Ferreira-M c Dougal who lived overseas for decades has no intention of destroying the credibility
and character she built in her long life and is challenging regional authorities to publish the
details of their investigations.
“I really can’t say that almost a $100M extra were paid and that is (being) truthful. There were
some buildings, which I found out and I asked the Programme Heads to bring in their reports and
after looking at education report, I asked Accounts Department to fix it. But if I were to say that
it was $100M or more – I can’t say that,” the former REO reiterated.
THE FORMER REO SAID THAT SHE WAS AWARE OF A SINGLE INSTANCE OF
IRREGULARITY involving the security firm and she threatened to request the Ministry of
Communities withdraw the contract.
“Everybody know when I get certain reports, I would call in Mr. Fowler who is the supervisor
and blaze him. When I found out that there was one guard guarding two buildings, I spoke
directly with Mr. Fowler and his company, threatening that if they don’t fix it, I will write (the
Ministry of) Communities to have their contract removed,”.
“When I found out the instance where Sentinel was allowing one guard to guard two buildings,
but claiming (payments for) two buildings I didn’t want them back, but because it was being
done from Communities end, there was little that we could do as every three months
Communities updated the contract and sent it back to us,” she explained.
“I am prepared to make myself available for any investigation as I will answer truthfully. I
don’t know the amount, but yes, I heard about it after I left,” Ferreira-M c Dougall
maintained.