Region Three administration unearths ‘corruption’ with security contract

-Former REO distances self-

The Regional Administration of Region Three recently unearthed what many are describing as a
well-orchestrated corruption ring involving senior officials within the region and Sentinel
Security.
According to documents secured by this media house, www.aroundtheregions.com the company
was contracted in October 2017 to provide security at all nursery, primary and secondary schools
within Region Three. Sentinel had replaced Homesafe Security in the region. This contract, a
senior official said, was inked at the then Ministry of Communities by its Permanent Secretary
Emile Mc Garrel. However, it was noticed that several of the schools that invoices were being
billed for were in the compounds of other schools. This, the official said, provided loopholes,
which were deliberately exploited by the security company and senior officials who may 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,” a senior Regional Official said.
It was revealed that the acting Principal Assistant Secretary (PAS), Salote Daniels whose
substantive role is Chief Accountant made the delivery. Officials said that Daniels unearthed
what many are dubbing as a well operated scheme. Almost five million monthly from 2017 to
2020 are being alleged to have been paid falsely to Sentinel. Daniels reported the matter to the
then REO, Jennifer Ferreira Dougall who initiated an investigation. “This is something that the
REO before Ms. Dougall knew about but did nothing. Mr. Fowler who is responsible for Sentinel
in Region Three is a friend of Mr. Denis Jaikarran and whenever anyone sought to raise
questions in relation to it, they were sidelined,” the official said.
Contacted for a comment, former REO Ms. Jennifer Ferreira Dougall said that she is unaware of
the details. “I never signed a contract; the contract was signed by Communities. We (Jaikarran
nor I) never signed a contract, and the former Minister Bulkhan and former PS will have to
explain about the contracts,” she said.
Pressed further, the former REO said that the Chief Accountant is desperately seeking a ‘place in
the sun’ and continues to create things that never existed.
She said that while fingers are being pointed to her and her predecessor, they never engaged the
security company. She revealed that it was PS Emile Mc Garrel who instructed the region to
accept the services of the company.

“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 Dougall said.
Declaring that she operated professionally and above board, the former REO said that after the
matter was first brought to her attention, she sought to have reports from her programme heads
but only a few complied. “As the REO I checked things, if I see something is wrong, I send it
down as I wouldn’t know that. I ask for a report, I ask all the programme heads to give a report,
some of them give so I can’t really answer that. If I give an answer of yes or no, I will be liable,”
she opined.
Ferreira Dougall said she lived in the USA for 24 odd years and has no intention of destroying
the credibility and character she built. She is challenging the regional authorities to disclose the
details of the investigation. “I really can’t say that almost a 100 million was paid extra and that is
truthfully. There were some buildings, which I found out and I asked the programme heads to
bring in their reports  and after looking at the education report, I asked accounts to fix it but if I
was to say that it was 100 million or more I can’t say that,” she reiterated.
The former REO said that she was aware of an instance regarding irregularities with the security
firm. This she stressed resulted in her threatening the security company to request that the
Ministry of Communities withdraw the contract.
“Everybody knows when I get certain reports, I would call in Mr. Fowler who is the supervisor
and blaze them. 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 to
Communities to have the contract removed,”.

She continued, “When I found out the instance where Sentinel was allowing one guard to guard
two buildings, but claiming two buildings I didn’t wanted 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.”
Reaffirming her commitment and willingness to answer any questions, Dougall said, “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 Dougall concluded.