Poor decisions sabotaged LEN

POOR JUDGMENT by former Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) Chairman, Mr. Orrin
Gordon, and its current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms. Tanniza Gasper is to blame for the
virtual collapse of the entity.
Gasper’s blunders bordered on criminality by routinely flouting regulations, and Gordon, by his
frequent procrastinations, safeguarded her employment, rather than take tough decisions to
ensure LEN was professionally managed, a former insider confided.
According to several LEN correspondences perused by this media house and confirmed by
numerous knowledgeable sources, some Board members desperately wanted Gasper out. They
were also wearied, and made wary, by some of Gordon’s inexplicable decisions.
It became obvious to the Board, after identifying many red flags, that Gasper was taking LEN
down a financially perilous path.
According to LEN records, several prominent officials from the then ruling A Partnership for
National Unity Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, secured massive loans with a
number of them reportedly becoming delinquent. APNU+AFC legislator, and recently-elected
Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Mr. Jermaine Figueria, is reportedly listed
among the neglectful.
A well-placed source confided that though Figueria was behind on his payments and incurred
several late fees and interests, CEO Gasper nevertheless approved a smaller loan for the Region
Ten parliamentarian against objections from some Board members complaining that he had not
honoured those punitive charges.
www.aroundtheregions.com was told the APNU+AFC lawmaker attempted to lean on LEN to
wave the late fee penalties on the loan secured in his, and father’s name.

“While the second loan was not at the amount that he originally wanted, he wasn’t entitled to a
second loan as he would have had to clear everything outstanding before qualifying for another
loan. But, remember, he is the MP. He knew who to call and talk to, and the powers that be,
along with the CEO, turned a blind eye to this,” a source explained.
Sources revealed numerous APNU+AFC affiliates who owe LEN and are actively resisting
efforts to make them pay.
“Ask yourself why some of the leaders and big ones within our community are silent despite the
current administration’s tardy behavior towards LEN? They cannot say anything
because…(they) are afraid that if they make certain noises, the (ruling) PPPC will expose them.
So, they will stay quiet as they hope that the monies owing to LEN can be forgotten and/or
wiped off,” another knowledgeable source explained.
A LEN employee in a previous interview said loan records show while some borrowers are
“making every effort to pay” some prominent residents in the bauxite-mining community are
“doing everything in their power” not to pay.
“You have some people who are downright wicked. They can pay; they know they have to pay,
but because of their political affiliation to APNU+AFC they are deliberately refusing to pay.
They are failing to accept that we, the employees, are the ones suffering.”
Forner LEN officials also questioned CEO Gasper’s acceptance of a forged power of attorney
document submitted by well-known PPPC activist, Orin ‘Skinny’ Wilson, to secure a loan.
“Skinny turned up with a power attorney for his grandfather and the CEO had accepted it.
However, it was reviewed and found to be expired. He was told to secure an updated copy, but
returned with a forged one. His grandfather had already died, but he submitted a power attorney
indicating that his dead grandfather had given to him (the updated document). Interestingly, it
was signed by a very popular PPP/C lawyer. This was fraud, but the CEO covered it up and the
Board found out even though she (Gasper) accepted the forged document and approved his
loan,” the source related.

After the discovery of the fake power of attorney document, CEO Gasper spent time looking for
loopholes in the system to help ‘Skinny’. LEN officials reportedly cautioned her against the
potential criminal decision.
Charges were never filed against ‘Skinny’. The Board subsequently cancelled his loan approval.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more questionable actions that the CEO took
which saw the Board running out of patience. (Chairman) Gordon received several instructions
from the Board to write her (officially). He promised to do so, but never did.”
“This is what prevented the Board from taking its planned action,” of firing Ms. Gasper
before the change of government, the source said.