seems di tiefing goes on unabated in Ja...mi mumah

[evanovitch]

Energy Minister James Robertson.Several crucial decisions are expected to be made Monday regarding the operations of the state-run Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) following the release of a damning forensic audit report on the company's activities.

The matter will be discussed at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet.

<span style="font-weight: bold">It is reported that the audit has uncovered contract irregularities, poor management of the PetroCaribe Development Fund (PCDF) and a cash-skimming scheme which the auditors have recommended be referred to the police for further investigation.</span>

The audit, which examined the PCJ's operations during the period April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007, found a lack of oversight and proper governance over the company by group managing director Ruth Potopsingh and the then board of directors.

The auditors say most of the problems identified were linked to areas under the responsibility of the PCJ's former director of administration and the former financial controller.

When contacted Sunday night, Energy Minister James Robertson, said the entity's Board of Directors met last week to discuss the findings of the audit.

Mr. Robertson declined to say what action is being considered for the PCJ executives who have been found culpable of the various breaches.

&quot;An audit report is in, an audit that had been commissioned before my time which was about two and a half years ago. It was completed in November or December and then you have to go through the process of giving anybody who is cited or who can help a chance to answer audit queries, that exercise has just been completed. The board met last week and so I am waiting now on a final board report,&quot; Mr. Robertson said.

He says a Ministerial Paper on the matter could be tabled in Parliament as early as Tuesday.

<span style="font-weight: bold">The audit of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica was ordered by former Energy Minister Clive Mullings in the aftermath of the Cuban Light Bulb Scandal.</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold">Former Junior Minister Kern Spencer who had responsibility for the project and his former personal assistant Colleen Wright are still before the courts answering money laundering and corruption charges.</span>



Ruth Potopsingh.In the meantime, Mr. Robertson is refusing to comment on reports that Mrs. Potopsingh has been sacked.

It is reported that Mrs. Potopsingh was given marching orders last week by the Board of the PCJ.

When pressed for details on Sunday night, Mr. Robertson had this terse response.

&quot;I could not comment,&quot; he said.

Meanwhile, former Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell who had responsibility for the PCJ during the period that the financial breaches occurred could not be reached for a comment.

[sistactry]

Re: seems di tiefing goes on unabated in Ja...mi mumah

larks man, Ja cant tek no more corruption and scandal, fe real, me feel sick from all a wha a gwaan~~

[evanovitch]

Re: seems di tiefing goes on unabated in Ja...mi mumah

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SistaCtry</div><div class="ubbcode-body">larks man, Ja cant tek no more corruption and scandal, fe real, me feel sick from all a wha a gwaan~~

</div></div>

dis is from di PNP administration...wen di Cuban lightbulb ting did come to light dem ask fi di audit...guess it tek dis long fi complete...at least dat is how it read

[evanovitch]

Dr Potopsingh speaks on audit

Dr Potopsingh speaks on audit

The former group managing director at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) Dr Ruth Potopsingh said she’s still awaiting a meeting with the company’s board following her dismissal on Wednesday.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Dr Potopsingh was dismissed in the wake of the findings of an audit report which was conducted into operations at the company</span>.

Dr Potopsingh said she was advised that her services would no longer be needed, however she’s yet to have a meeting with the board on the matter.

Meanwhile Dr Ptopsingh said she had also raised concerns about the contents of the audit.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Spokesman on Energy, Phillip Paulwell said he is yet to see a copy of the report.

Mr Paulwell said he finds it strange that the report, which was completed in October last year, has not been brought to Parliament.

[RichD]

Re: Dr Potopsingh speaks on audit

yuh remember the PCJ accountant who was killed up in red hills

[evanovitch]

Re: Dr Potopsingh speaks on audit

not rite now...remine me bout di happenings

[evanovitch]

Potopsingh hits back

Potopsingh hits back
Monday, 19 April 2010

Dr. Ruth Potopsingh.The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) says that to date she has received no written notification indicating that she has been dismissed from that position.

In a release issued Monday evening, Dr. Ruth Potopsingh, said last Wednesday she was verbally advised by <span style="font-weight: bold">Kathryn Phipps</span>, Chairperson of the PCJ Board, that based on the Forensic Audit Report the Board had lost confidence in her ability to operate the Corporation.

Dr. Potopsingh said Ms. Phipps also verbally informed her that she along with the Corporate Secretary and the Human Resource Specialist would meet with her on the matter the next day.

However, according to Dr. Potopsingh, to date, no meeting has taken place, nor has she received any written notification regarding her employment status.

She said surprisingly, since then, there have been detailed reports in the media concerning her ‘termination' as well as considerable details of the Forensic Audit, which has not yet been tabled in Parliament.

Not culpable - Potopsingh

The PCJ Managing Director said since her submission of a detailed response to the Forensic Audit Report in January there has been no attempt to test the truth of her response, neither has she received responses from the offices of the Prime Minister, the Solicitor General or the Auditor General.

Dr. Potopsingh stressed that many of the issues raised in the audit predate her appointment as GMD to the PCJ in January 2006.

There were also matters about which the previous PCJ Board of Directors had already made decisions and commitments made on sound judgement contrary to the Audit's conclusions.

She noted that she cannot accept responsibility for those decisions or approvals of the PCJ Board or those of its subsidiaries when she was not Group Managing Director or a member of those Boards.

Dr. Potopsingh said she takes pride in the fact that neither the Forensic Audit or any other audit has found her culpable for any act of alleged dishonesty or irregularity.

The Board of the PCJ met last week during which, it reportedly sacked, the Group Managing Director.

[RichD]

Re: Dr Potopsingh speaks on audit

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">not rite now...remine me bout di happenings </div></div>

si di story here:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Police say couple’s murder not linked to Petrojam PDF Print
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Image Senior investigators probing Tuesday's murder of a couple at their home in Belvedere, Red Hills in St. Andrew are moving to douse speculation that the incident is linked to activities at the state-owned oil refinery, Petrojam.

Officials of Petrojam have also denied reports of a probe into corruption at the refinery.

The police have dismissed reports that they were trying to determine whether Andre Janniere who was an accounting clerk at Petrojam, and his wife Carlene, were gunned down because he was trying to help the police with an investigation at the refinery.

According to one senior police officer who spoke with RJR News, there was no evidence to suggest that the Jannieres' murder was linked to any activity at Petrojam and added that investigators are looking at other areas to ascertain the motive for the attack.

An official of Petrojam said Mr. Janniere was not employed to the refinery as an accountant but was a junior accounting clerk who was responsible for collating weekly production statistics at the company.

The official said there was no ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption at Petrojam and there might have been some confusion with the ongoing forensic probe at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica.

The Petrojam official confirmed that Mr. Janniere's work area was sealed off as part of the police investigation.

However, he said the police had informed the company that this was standard procedure in any investigation.

Mr. Janniere and his wife Carlene, who was a university lecturer, were gunned down at their home on Cypress Drive shortly after 3am Tuesday.

Their attackers reportedly gained entry through a window.

The couple's two children, who were in the house at the time of the attack, were not harmed.

The couple's bedroom was reportedly ransacked.

No comment on suspected Petrojam link - Mullings

And Energy Minister Clive Mullings said he could not comment on allegations that the couple's murder was linked to activities at Petrojam.

He however expressed regret at the brutal killings.

&quot;It's a tragic loss for the Petrojam family and the two children ... I want to encourage the Petrojam staff to bear up. I'm sure that the perpetrators will be found in the not too distant future and that justice will take its course,&quot; said Mr. Mullings.</div></div>