Sentinel Security contract was a fait accompli

A SENIOR SENTINEL SECURITY SERVICES OFFICIAL CLAIMED THE COMPANY
WAS HANDED A FAIT ACCOMPLI to provide protection for school buildings under the
purview of the Education Department in Essequibo Islands/West Demerara (Region Three).
Sentinel Security Supervisor, Mr. Linden Forbes Sampson Flower is adamant that every clause
in the security contract was decided among former Permanent Secretary (PS) Mr. Emil M c
Garrel, former Minister of Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkhan, and Mr. Dennis Jaikarran, former
Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Three.
“We (Sentinel) were not the ones who drafted the contract, we received the contract from the
then REO and we operated accordingly to what the contract stipulated. So, all this talk and
allegations seeking to blame us is a waste of time,” the infuriated Fowler told
www.aroundtheregions.com when reached for a comment.
The Region Three security outfit is currently under the public microscope following allegations
that between January 2018 and August 2020, the firm bilked the Education Department an extra
$90M to $100M fraudulently in extra charges for protective services.
Fowler, who sometimes during the interview went on an invective-laced rant and also accusing
Regional Democratic Council (RDC) officials of personal vendetta, maintained that Sentinel
Security executed the contract faithfully, and without fear or favour too.
He explained that he has been personally involved with handling security-related issues within
the Region for several years, and is well-acquainted with every company that provided services
to the RDC.
He admitted there were a few instances when he and the new REO, Ms. Jennifer Ferreira-
M c Dougal, differed on issues of quality and level of service provided by the agency. But she
always failed to produce the promised evidence to substantiate her complaints.

However, an education official is adamant that Fowler and others were well aware of the
skullduggery. The official said that they were powerless because, the REOs, first Jaikarran, then
M c Dougal refused to take the necessary action.
“We knew that there was nothing that we could have been done about it (if) Jaikarran and
Dougal refused to do anything. The corruption was severe. While services were being provided
for some schools, they billed the Education department for more schools. Frankly, when we
calculated it look like about four to five million dollars extra, they (Sentinel) got every month,”
the official said speaking on condition of anoyminity. The official also provided evidence to
back up their claims.
Said the official: “The PAS (Principal Assistant Secretary) Finance has calculated the actual
amount and it came up to $90M to $100M from January 2018 to August 2020. That is the
amount of money we have been robbed from Education alone. What Mr. Flower told me is that
he was instructed by Mr. Jaikarran to bill us like that. If you check the invoices now from the
same company for the very schools, there is a drop of almost $5M every month…which means
that the corruption has stopped.”
Ferreira-M c Dougal pleads ignorance about the existence or the scale of the over-billing by the
security agency during her tenure as the Region’s REO.
“I really can’t say that almost a $100M was paid extra. There were some buildings which I found
m and I asked the Programme Heads to bring in their reports. After looking at the Education
report, I asked Accounts to fix it. But if I was to say that it was $100M or more I can’t say that,”
Ferreira M c Dougall had maintained in an earlier interview with this media house.
She had said that when she was appointed REO in 2019 “myself and the DREO spoke and we
had asked the Programme Heads to bring in their reports and there was one example in the
riverine area with a school and a health center together. What we found was that there was one
guard guarding both buildings and it shouldn’t have happened and immediately I spoke with the
then there must be 500 guards on the ground.”

Fowler is anxious for a thorough investigation then company’s operations because he is
confident the Sentinel Security would be cleared of any wrongdoing.
“I will direct you to my Director as I do not want to give my mouth liberty. But what I can tell
you is that we were allotted some 100-odd schools and what they were saying is that there were
two schools in one compound and so on and we shouldn’t have been charging for that. But that
isn’t my issue it was placed in my contract, so I have to put guards there and charge for it as my
contractual obligation,” Fowler explained.
Pressed on allegations that sentinel also billed the Education Department for twice the number of
security guards at some locations, Fowler became agitated and resorted to expletives instead of
explanations.
He said he and his company’s lawyer, Mr. Nigel Hughes are prepared to sue the Education
Department should senior officials make unsubstantiated claims.
“Let them go ahead and say things that they can’t prove. We are hearing that they are
saying a lot and our company’s lawyer Nigel Hughes would sue them,” Fowler threatened.