The Auditor General’s (AG) Office will soon present its interim report on the investigation into the acquisition of 100,000 birth certificates from the controversial businessman, Larry London’s company- Universal Procurement Services.
On the sidelines of an event at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, Auditor General, Deodat Sharma told the News Room that “we should be able to complete it in a short time, at least an interim report.”
He pointed out that since the printer is based in Florida, there are certain challenges relating to the access to vouchers and other pertinent documents.
“We have challenges because this took place in Miami, which is one of the place we got to visit and in trying to get the vouchers, go through all the payments, those are some of the challenges we’re having,” Sharma told the News Room.
The business owner at the center of the probe was appointed by the former APNU+AFC government to head the million-dollar Durban Park Project and was also being paid $500,000 a month with perks for the position of Director of Parks.
The acquisition of the birth certificates was flagged by Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira, on September 21; she had stated that the former government had moved away from the longstanding practice of using local printers to produce Guyanese birth certificates.
Some 100,000 birth certificates were reportedly ordered from London’s company between 2019 and 2020 and $23M was paid.
Further concerns were raised after it was found that it was filed as a Domestic For-Profit Corporation in the State of Florida and is no longer active.
This corporate entity was filed on February 14, 2007, as recorded in documents filed with Florida Department of State.
On September 22, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall wrote to the Auditor General to conduct a forensic audit into the facts and circumstances surrounding the contract.
