Imbert: Government did not approve shady contracts for police service

Finance Minister Colm Imbert says neither he, nor his ministry, approved any contracts for the police service under former commissioner Gary Griffith that may be in breach of the law.

At a political meeting last Thursday, the Prime Minister accused Griffith of finding loopholes in the law by turning contracts over $1 million into multiple contracts below the $1 million limit. Griffith as police commissioner would have been the accounting officer for the police service.

Accounting officers are given the freedom to spend up to specified amounts without ministerial intervention or having to go to the Central Tenders Board.

Dr Rowley claimed that Griffith used this loophole to engage in contracts that increased the expenditure of the police service.

In response, Griffith said all the contracts he engaged in during his three-year leadership were above board. He said the Finance Ministry had knowledge of them.

He also said before the contracts were signed off by him, there were several public servants who pre-approved it.

However, Imbert sought to set the record straight. In a release on Sunday, the minister said, “It could be inferred from Mr. Griffith’s comments that the Ministry of Finance approved some or all the questionable contract awards that were highlighted in the audit report and disclosed at that PNM meeting on June 29.

"However, for the avoidance of doubt, no one at the Ministry of Finance – no public servant or minister – approved any alleged breach by Mr. Griffith of the Exchequer and Audit Act, the financial regulations, the Central Tenders Board Act, or any other financial law, if such occurred during his tenure as Commissioner of Police.”

Imbert said Griffith would have received the usual appointment letter as an accounting officer, giving him guidance on his role, functions, and responsibilities regarding all financial interactions. He said after receiving the advice, Griffith would have "proceeded to make his own decisions as accounting officer, manage his budget, incur liabilities, employ personnel, procure goods and services and award contracts."

Griffith, he said, would have also been advised to strictly comply with the requirements of the Exchequer and Audit Act Chap. 69:01, the financial regulations and all applicable financial laws.

One of the highlighted contracts Rowely mentioned was the leasing of vehicles for three years amounting to just over $50 million. In response Griffith said that contract received government approval and questioned why it was raised knowing that he could not authorise such a contract.