Tobago minister pleads ignorance of credit card rules; all monies repaid

Tobago Affairs Minister Vernella Alleyne-Toppin told reporters Friday that she had repaid every cent of the money charged to her government-issued credit card. She further stated that she never deliberately misused the card.

Opposition Leader Keith Rowley raised the use of the card last week during the no confidence debate, claiming that the minister abused the facility that was made available to her.

Alleyne-Toppin did not deny that she used the card for personal purchases and cash advances. However she pleaded ignorance of the rules.

"Part of this story has been lack of information and ignorance on my part of how this card operates. It’s very unfortunate we’re operating a system where we do not know the terms and conditions of the card,” she said.

She added that her understanding was that the card has a US$5,000 limit on the card but had never seen this until the PNM raised it. In addition she said she did not even know that there was a  card administrator until the PNM raised it. However she said she has paid back all the money.

“When I was told by the PS that you cannot withdraw from the card, I paid that back although I had done government business with it—there was no deliberate misuse of the card,” the minister said.

She insisted that there was no breach. "There were times when instead of using the card to pay for local entertainment expenses, in places where cards are not accepted, I withdrew cash and paid for that service.”

Alleyne-Toppin said she has never travelled overseas on Government business.

A circular on the credit card from the Ministry of Finance said the facility was approved “for official overseas travel and local expenses for Government Officers and holders of certain offices under the purview of the Salaries Review Commission.” 

The circular is specific that no local cash advances are to be made with the card, although cash withdrawals are allowed while on official overseas travel with charges for withdrawal to be paid by the card holder.