PM Kamla to ask CARICOM states to probe allegations of fraud at regional security agency

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is head of regional security at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), plans to alert member states about allegations of corruption at the Caricom Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (Impacs).

The allegations, published in the Sunday Express newspaper, suggest that there is mass corruption at the highest levels at the security agency.

The paper said it has received an email from Persad Bissessar in response to a request for a comment on the allegations.

"Should the allegations be true, it is indeed cause for grave concern. Corruption of any kind is a cancer eating away at the heart of every person who should benefit from projects since every dollar corruptly taken means one dollar less for the benefit of people; and it would be even more appalling for an organisation charged with responsibility for assisting in the fight against crime to, itself, be ensnared in criminal activity.

"In the circumstances, I will bring same to the attention of Caricom heads and request that a full investigation be undertaken, including an audit, and for steps to be taken for transparency and accountability," the Express quoted her as saying in the email.

The paper also quoted her as saying that funding for Impacs is not up to date since some CARICOM members have not been paying their contributions as a result of the economic downturn.

Persad-Bissessar told regional leaders at the last CACICOM summit in Jamaica in July 2010 that Trinidad and Tobago would not be able to foot the bill for security within the region.

"Regional projects such as Impacs are to be funded by contributions from Caricom states. However, whilst T&T has paid up its contributions...some other states have not been able to pay up, thereby creating a deficit for funding of the project," she said in the correspondence to the Express.

"Last year at the Caricom heads meeting in Jamaica, you recall my statements which you repeat in your message to me, namely that T&T could and would not make up the deficit created.

"A proposal to put a fee (US$5) on every airline ticket to raise the money for the deficit was not accepted by the heads at the Jamaica meeting. The situation has remained the same this year with a deficit in funding for Impacs.

"Again, at the Caricom heads meeting in Grenada this year a similar proposal to raise funding by way of a fee on airline tickets was rejected," Persad-Bissessar said in her e-mail reply to the Sunday Express.