Farley calls update on missing $10 million at Tourism

Farley Augustine, Minority member. Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and Representative for Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside, is calling on Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles to update the public on the missing millions of dollars at the Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation.

Last year October, Augustine had revealed that three sets of money could not be accounted for at the Division. Augustine said that July 2017, $8.8 million representing a flight subsidy to Virgin Atlantic Airways, was reportedly transferred to an unknown bank account on the UK. He said a US$6,500 wire transfer for a Miami-based consulting firm on the cruise ship industry was also reportedly rerouted to a bank in the UK, and that $1.6 million, which was also intended for tourism agents in Miami, never reached the intended recipients.

At a post Executive Council media briefing on November 29, Charles confirmed Augustine’s reports of the missing money.

Last Tuesday, Augustine, speaking at the Minority Council’s media briefing at James Park, said Charles must update the public on the status of the investigations into the missing millions of dollars.

“We wish to make it clear that Tobago will not take it lying down that $8 million could just go away just so and nobody is held accountable. Somebody must be held accountable, so the Chief Secretary must give this island an update on that matter, he must tell us where that investigation is at.

“He must also tell us if the THA has successfully paid Virgin Holidays that money that went missing. He must also tell us if the THA, via the central government, sought to utilize international partners to have this investigation done because a London bank was used and so we made it explicitly clear that this investigation cannot remain within the local space,” he said.

Augustine claimed the missing millions were used in a ponzi scheme from certain Tobagonians benefitted.

“I note that some public servants were let off the hook (in the investigations), the reality is that some public servants who inadvertently signed off on this money has been released. We would like to see the reports done on these public servants because if the public servant did not use due process and standard public service regulations to pass the payments, heads must roll in,” he contended.

Augustine also spoke about the matter of recovering a down payment of US$430,000 paid to American soul singer, D’Angelo (Michael Eugene Archer), who failed to show for a contracted performance at the Tobago Jazz Experience last year.

“I note with cautious elation that the THA has finally taken some legal action against those involved in the D’Angelo fiasco...this is Tobago people’s money and US$430,000 has just been given away and that must be accounted for,” he said.

“We would not be letting up on them (THA) until some actual action is taken and until we get back that money. The Executive Council must take action and recover that money and with interest too,” he added.

On June 27, THA’s Senior Counsel, Alvin Pascall, told Newsday Tobago that four pre-action protocol letters were sent out to D’Angelo , Matt Ross of 11Entertainment Company Limited, and group acting on behalf of D’Angelo, giving them 14 days to respond on the matter of repayment of the funds.