BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Government of National Unity has indicated that a full report on investigations into the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) would be had within two weeks.
Several months ago, the Government announced that it had sought the services internationally acclaimed accounting firm Ernst and Young to conduct a forensic audit of the SIDF, which they alleged was used by the former Administration as a “slush fund”.
During the inquiry, the accounting firm would have also carried out checks into investments made by the former Administration in two major projects - Christophe Harbour and Kittitian Hill.
In providing an update on the investigations, Attorney General Senator Vincent Byron Jr. told SKNVibes that the Government would be making a public announcement on the findings after it would have received the completed report.
Byron noted that a formal report would be provided to the Government, which would then be laid in Cabinet before it is made public.
“You would recall that the SIDF is one of the major sources of contention going into the last elections, where tens of millions went missing or were used in a very negligent way. And so we want to have that advice from the professionals who would be able to guide us on the correct way,” Byron said.
He explained that the report would answer several outstanding questions including investments that should bring development into St. Kitts through Christophe Harbour.
“These are some of the things that we hope would give us positive feedback in the coming weeks,” he said.
When asked about laws allowing for possible prosecution of politicians should they be found culpable, the Attorney General explained that there are legislations in place that speak to that case, stopping short of pinpointing a few.
“There are laws on the books; I am not sure that we would have to do new laws for that. The legislation that we hope would come in would have to do with the SIDF as a body. That was one of the major contentions of the Team Unity Movement, because it was being seen as a private foundation even thought it was government.”
Prior to the 2015 General Elections, the coalition Team Unity had accused the Labour Administration of squandering monies under that fund, and that they would launch an investigation as well as make moves to have the SIDF placed in the Consolidated Fund.
