PNM in Gov't (2020-2025)

[shaneelal]

Absolutely UNACCEPTABLE, theres no way this could be justified that a CEO of a handout program could e entitlted to $65K a month!
Someone or the group responsible for this approval should all be JAILED... print names, and faces of all the individuals involved.

Corporation Sole end of story

Guardian seems to be slowly releasing files...

CEPEP probes $.22m payout to 2 execs

CEPEP Company Limited, General Manager, Keith Eddy



Curtis Williams
Lead Business Editor

An internal investigation has been launched at the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) to determine how payment of almost a quarter-million dollars was made to the Chief Executive Officer Keith Eddy and Corporate Secretary Nicole Gopaulsingh on August 14, 2020.

The payments of $135,000 to Eddy and $92,935.31 to Gopaulsingh were made to their accounts four days after the August 10 General Election.

Guardian Media has copies of the transactions and the figures represent the major increases in salaries for the two that were approved by the CEPEP board in 2019 but only paid in August, 2020.

The records show that Eddy was paid $180,000, representing increments of $21,500 per month for eight months of increased base salary and $8,000 for the eight months of increased entertainment allowance. However, when 25 per cent in taxes were deducted the sum of $135,000 was forwarded to his bank account. Similarly, Gopaulsingh received eight months of increments and increased allowances minus taxes that worked out to $92,935.31.

Both Eddy and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein spoke to Guardian Media yesterday but were not prepared to go on the record. However, sources at the company claim the payments have since been reversed.

The documents showing the payments come even as CEPEP chairman Marilyn Michael categorically denied any payment was made to the duo or that Eddy had even received a salary increase.




On Saturday, Michael said, “Mr Eddy’s salary has not been increased. I stand here in a very positive way, well informed, this is not me speculating or saying maybe or maybe not. I am speaking from an informative position that Mr Eddy’s salary has not been increased.”

Asked if all the documents in Guardian Media’s possession were fake, she said: “You don’t have to put that. You can simply say the chairman is not aware of any increases.”

Michael said the salaries could not possibly have been increased and she did not know of it. She called it “mischief,” adding somebody had an objective.”

“I am not aware of any increase for Mr Eddy. I know that was a conversation but it has not gone anywhere in the light of being approved, even though I want to say to you that a board can make a recommendation but it doesn’t mean, I am not saying a recommendation was or was not made, I am saying it does not mean that it is an approved recommendation, it has to go, as you would rightly know, to the line ministry and also to Ministry of Finance. The board does not have that authorisation to just increase somebody’s salary,” Michael said.

On Sunday, however, CEPEP put out a press release in which it effectively refuted what its chairman said by confirming that the board, which is chaired by Michael, had in fact approved the increases for Eddy and Gopaulsingh.

The release read: “The CEPEP board of directors approved salary increases in November of the year 2019 and is currently awaiting the approval of the HR committee and the Chief Personnel Officer.”

In November, the CEPEP board agreed to raise Eddy’s salary to a whopping $65,000 a month and weeks before the August 10 election, changed his contract to add a year to it.

Documents provided to Guardian Media by whistleblowers in CEPEP and the Ministry of Finance point to both increases in salaries and redoing contracts for some employees just as the August 10 election approached.

In a memorandum dated November 28, 2019, CEPEP Corporate Secretary Gopaulsingh wrote to the company’s Senior Human Resource Officer Willa Guy-Straker indicating that at a meeting of the board on November 28, 2019, it was “resolved to amend the organisational structure.”
The banking transaction document showing the transfer of funds from CEPEP to CEO Keith Eddy and corporate secretary Nicole Gopualsingh’s accounts.

The banking transaction document showing the transfer of funds from CEPEP to CEO Keith Eddy and corporate secretary Nicole Gopualsingh’s accounts.

As part of the amendment of the structure, the decision was made to change Eddy’s title from general manager to CEO and to a change of salary from a base of $40,000 a month to $61,500 a month and entertainment allowance from $2,500 to $3,500 a month for a total package of $65,000 from a previous package of $42,500. CEPEP is also leasing a luxury Q7 vehicle for Eddy to be fully maintained by the company. His package also includes a telephone.

In the same memorandum, Gopaulsingh advised that she too had received a salary increase from $22,500 to $40,000 a month. Guardian Media has copies of the signed contracts.

Since Hosein took over responsibility for CEPEP there have been four chairmen in four years, with Michael being the latest.

During that time, there has been a revolving door of managers at the organisation and hundreds of thousands of dollars paid out to employees following litigation over how they were treated and dismissed. The daughter of a former People’s National Movement (PNM) minister was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars after she was allegedly hounded out of CEPEP.

Guardian Media also has a dossier that was sent to Finance Minister Colm Imbert on October 29, 2019, in which there are major allegations against Hosein, including interference in the running of the company. It is understood those allegations were found to have no merit in them.

Weeks before the General Election, Eddy signed off on the extension of several contracts. Many of them were not even coming to an end this year but with the election due it appears a decision was made to extend contracts should the August 10 polls not have gone the way of the PNM. This is a practice Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and the PNM railed against when it was done in 2015 by the United National Congress.
Over the last five years, the country has spent more than a billion dollars supporting CEPEP.

https://guardian.co.tt/news/cepep-probe ... 392f2b332a


In-house accounting error blamed for CEPEP scandal

RURAL Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein has chosen to remain mum on allegations of a $0.22 million scandal at the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement programme (CEPEP).

Hosein, who is responsible for CEPEP overall, spoke to the Newsday but said he preferred not to make any public statements at present.

CEPEP chairman Marilyn Michael blamed an “in-house accounting error” for the mix-up in the additional salary payments to two senior employees. She said however, the mistake was recognised and rectified without any accounts being credited.

Newsday sought clarification on this error, and whether it affected the salaries of only the two people mentioned or others, and exactly what the sums – which were pulled back – represented. There was no response.

There has been a series of articles in a daily newspaper about a “CEPEP scandal” involving the payment of $0.22 million to the executives, four days after the August 10 general election.

The newspaper identified the recipients as CEO Keith Eddy and corporate secretary Nicole Gopaulsingh and the sum as representing salary increases and increments, a charge Michael denied.

The article said the increases had been approved by the CEPEP board since 2019.

In a release on September 6, Michael said, “The CEPEP Board of Directors approved salary increases in November of the year 2019 and is currently awaiting the approval of the HR committee and the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO). The CEO and the Corporate Secretary have not received any increase in salary.”

In another release on September 8, Michael said the information in the publications was misguided. She again denied Eddy and Gopaulsingh were the beneficiaries of any increased salary payments and said both intended to take legal action against the paper and the reporter.

Former CEPEP chairman Ashton Ford, who left the company a year ago, distanced himself from claims that he “leaked the documents” to the newspaper.

“Whoever told you that, let that person provide the evidence. Call a name – I want to make some money.”

Ford explained, “I left there a whole year ago. How am I getting blamed for something that happened last week? That has absolutely nothing to do with me.

"I do not have a clue what is happening there now. I am just reading what is happening, like everybody else.”

https://newsday.co.tt/2020/09/08/in-hou ... p-scandal/

[De Dragon]

So the correspondence to the HR Manager by the Corp. Sec about the increases was an accounting error too? Sadly, PNM lackeys and sycophants will take this basket and the dumber ones like Tokesy and one eye will actually mount a spirited defense.

[bluefete]

The Chairman of the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) Company Limited Marilyn Michael is alleging that it was an accounting error that led to the payment of almost a quarter-million dollars to the company's Chief Executive Officer Keith Eddy and Corporate Secretary Nicole Gopaulsingh on August 14, 2020.

In a press release yesterday, Michael said the error was recognised on August 19th and subsequently corrected on September 1 2020.

The payments of $135,000 to Eddy and $92,935.31 to Gopaulsingh were made to their accounts four days after the August 10 General Election, Guardian Media exclusively reported yesterday.

Guardian Media has copies of the transactions and the figures represent the major increases in salaries for the two that were approved by the CEPEP board in 2019 but only paid in August, 2020.

The records show that Eddy was paid $180,000, representing increments of $21,500 per month for eight months of increased base salary and $8,000 for the eight months of increased entertainment allowance. However, when 25 per cent in taxes were deducted the sum of $135,000 was forwarded to his bank account. Similarly, Gopaulsingh received eight months of increments and increased allowances minus taxes that worked out to $92,935.31. However, the press release insists that the payments were subsequently reversed.

https://guardian.co.tt/news/cepep-blame ... jVxfAGIlPw

[maj. tom]

lol @ "accounting error."

[bluefete]

lol @ "accounting error."

They have no shame whatsoever. They need to read the PP playbook properly next time.

[sMASH]

lol @ "accounting error."

They have no shame whatsoever. They need to read the PP playbook properly next time.

u dont need shame with PNMites as ur voting base. they will lap that up and defend it with their lives.

[eliteauto]

The Gov't has completed acquisition of Caridoc

[wingnut]

The Gov't has completed acquisition of Caridoc

So this basically gonna be a new vemcott but for boats

Sure we going to hear in a few years for forensic audit into how they lost hundreds of millions dollars

[zoom rader]

The Gov't has completed acquisition of Caridoc

So this basically gonna be a new vemcott but for boats

Sure we going to hear in a few years for forensic audit into how they lost hundreds of millions dollars

Yup with PNM MPs and friends making millions

[zoom rader]

Elite wat going on with your family bate

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/truth-a ... ea967a10fa

[bluefete]

I keep telling you that freemasons do not ever fight against each other.

No one will ever make a jail in T&T for football white collar crimes. EVER!!!!!!

Elite wat going on with your family bate

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/truth-a ... ea967a10fa

LOL. Guardian wicked!

[zoom rader]

I keep telling you that freemasons do not ever fight against each other.

No one will ever make a jail in T&T for football white collar crimes. EVER!!!!!!

Elite wat going on with your family bate

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/truth-a ... ea967a10fa

LOL. Guardian wicked!

Elite fam

[fokhan_96]

^^^^watched that report last night. Was just waiting for Williams to swing that golf club at mark bassant. Didn't happen though.

[death365]

The Gov't has completed acquisition of Caridoc

So this basically gonna be a new vemcott but for boats

Sure we going to hear in a few years for forensic audit into how they lost hundreds of millions dollars

Yup with PNM MPs and friends making millions

i have to dis agree there.... ship repair/building is a very strong business worldwide ( Covid go done an the 1st set ah people to start back is pleasure craft)

[Redman]

Well lets hope the GORTT does a FCB and let a private sector entity run it

[zoom rader]

The Gov't has completed acquisition of Caridoc

So this basically gonna be a new vemcott but for boats

Sure we going to hear in a few years for forensic audit into how they lost hundreds of millions dollars

Yup with PNM MPs and friends making millions

i have to dis agree there.... ship repair/building is a very strong business worldwide ( Covid go done an the 1st set ah people to start back is pleasure craft)

I agree it's a strong bussiness.

You forgot PNM has a history of running good businesses in the ground .

This is another feeding troff for them

[zoom rader]

Well lets hope the GORTT does a FCB and let a private sector entity run it

Yup that's they way to go

But no insider trading like FCB

[matr1x]

Property tax is part of the race war

[De Dragon]

The Gov't has completed acquisition of Caridoc

So this basically gonna be a new vemcott but for boats

Sure we going to hear in a few years for forensic audit into how they lost hundreds of millions dollars

Yup with PNM MPs and friends making millions

i have to dis agree there.... ship repair/building is a very strong business worldwide ( Covid go done an the 1st set ah people to start back is pleasure craft)

All the more reason for the PNM GORTT to get their grubby hands on it. Remember ISCOTT? TRINGEN? TTMC? Money spinners today that floundered under State control.

[ProtonPowder]

Property tax is part of the race war

lmao

[Lou Screuz]

I keep telling you that freemasons do not ever fight against each other.

No one will ever make a jail in T&T for football white collar crimes. EVER!!!!!!

Elite wat going on with your family bate

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/truth-a ... ea967a10fa

LOL. Guardian wicked!

You have heard about the "king Midas touch"

but

Alyou ever hear about the "king Sadim touch ?"


great is d PNM famalee

[zoom rader]

The Gov't has completed acquisition of Caridoc

So this basically gonna be a new vemcott but for boats

Sure we going to hear in a few years for forensic audit into how they lost hundreds of millions dollars

Yup with PNM MPs and friends making millions

i have to dis agree there.... ship repair/building is a very strong business worldwide ( Covid go done an the 1st set ah people to start back is pleasure craft)

All the more reason for the PNM GORTT to get their grubby hands on it. Remember ISCOTT? TRINGEN? TTMC? Money spinners today that floundered under State control.

These clowns dont know the history of these companies you names.

PNM ran all these industries into the ground.

And these clowns come on here to explain they disagree

[zoom rader]

I keep telling you that freemasons do not ever fight against each other.

No one will ever make a jail in T&T for football white collar crimes. EVER!!!!!!

Elite wat going on with your family bate

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/truth-a ... ea967a10fa

LOL. Guardian wicked!

You have heard about the "king Midas touch"

but

Alyou ever hear about the "king Sadim touch ?"


great is d PNM famalee

Cah see elite

[De Dragon]

Man apparently appoint himself as the main contractor on the project yes! He moving like another thieving golf playing high positioned Afro Trini.

[j.o.e]

TTFF stuff in PNM thread ? What I missing ?

[zoom rader]

TTFF stuff in PNM thread ? What I missing ?

It's controlled by Elite PNM ppl.

You missed alot

[Dizzy28]

TTFF stuff in PNM thread ? What I missing ?

It's controlled by Elite PNM ppl.

You missed alot

But isn't former referee Ramesh Ramdhan who ran for a local council seat for UNC some time ago also in the mix in this whole scandal?

[zoom rader]

TTFF stuff in PNM thread ? What I missing ?

It's controlled by Elite PNM ppl.

You missed alot

But isn't former referee Ramesh Ramdhan who ran for a local council seat for UNC some time ago also in the mix in this whole scandal?

Football is all controlled by the PNM now. Ask elite

[bluefete]

TTFF stuff in PNM thread ? What I missing ?

It's controlled by Elite PNM ppl.

You missed alot

But isn't former referee Ramesh Ramdhan who ran for a local council seat for UNC some time ago also in the mix in this whole scandal?

LOL.

https://guardian.co.tt/sports/ramdhans- ... 09371848ed

[Dizzy28]

The Baghdad Brawler lives to fight on!!!
Feris exonerated by the Integrity Commission on his rental deals. ZR et al does be hating unnecessarly when we have such robust systems to monitor any potential white collar crimes.

The Integrity Commission has cleared Attorney General Faris Al Rawi of any contravention in the Integrity in Public Life Act over the rental of a building on 3 Alexandra Street St Clair. One Attorney is saying the Commission has raised more questions than answers. Here's Urvashi Tiwari Roopnarine with the story.
https://www.tv6tnt.com/news/7pmnews/int ... 3566a.html