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Offline AB.Trini

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #30 on: July 29, 2014, 12:11:01 AM »
Latest from the TNT Express.   With all due respect madam PM - yuh star boi pointing fingers at everyone else but has refused to accept responsibility for the shambles in his ministry and he still. Ah minister today!!!'

Yuh see when yuh appoint thief to investigate thief yuh get more thieving. Next up ah read yesterday's papers where the health minister eh happy as it appears there is a committee  now that runs his ministry- ah how is the "cabal" working fuh yuh?

TNT Express
Anil: I had no control
Story Updated: Jul 28, 2014


 Sport Minister Anil Roberts says that he did not “personally” escort Adolphus Daniell, the educator who was paid $34 million from the LifeSport programme for no work, to meet Finance Minister Larry Howai but was part of a team.

While Minister Roberts has declined to speak with the Express to clarify his position, he did so in an interview with CNC3’s The Morning Brew programme yesterday.

Roberts said the Ministry of Finance wanted clarification on the programme and a meeting was arranged.

On Monday, Finance Minister Larry Howai says it was Roberts who brought Daniell to his ministry.

“Mr Daniell was brought by Minister Roberts and officers of the Ministry of Sport to meet with the Ministry of Finance to demonstrate how the programme would work. After the demonstration, nothing further was heard about this initiative as far as I am aware,” Howai had said in an e-mail response to questions from the Express.

Howai’s comments were in relation to questions on why Daniell was solely selected for the project and whether Daniell’s $34 million contract was sent to Cabinet for approval, given the quantum of it.

Roberts yesterday sought to distance himself from the contract, saying the minister was not involved in policy.

“I have no control over who signs cheques, who pays what, who gives out contracts, who are chosen as suppliers, who are employed...a minister does not have that, so please people understand the roles we have and understand the flip-side to that question is if a minister gets involved and goes to a board meeting and says hire this one, give this contract, then they will be considered corrupt,” he said.

“I take full responsibility for those 2,097 young men who are now without hope, without a programme. They trusted in the LifeSport programme. These are young men who don’t trust easily...they’ve not been treated well throughout their lives from the time of conception straight up to being 16. I don’t think the programme was a failure, I think human beings who were given the responsibility to manage the programme have failed. Those suppliers who over-invoiced have failed, those who did not pay their VAT have failed, those who didn’t follow procurement. As I say this is the audit report, the ministry can respond and then of course the DPP, FIU, Integrity Commission will deal with that. Those who have done wrong, there are systems to pay for it. So I accept, of course, I accept responsibility. Do you want me to resign and stop helping people when I had no authority over managerial things?” he asked.

Roberts also said that in his view, the audit was not final.

“The ministry officials, the permanent secretary, the Sport Company, the LifeSport contractor, the directors and so on are given an opportunity to respond to any queries or any statements made here...so this is not the final thing. They would do that this week and so on but when you look in here, something that bothered me terribly was that laptops were bought for poor people, poor children, I call them children, some people call them criminals...well, whatever you want to call them, who were making the wrong choices, who were on the street, who were robbing, who were involved in crime, this programme is to take them out, try and get them in. The coordinators are not supposed to be mentors, they are supposed to be able to get these fellas off the streets,” he said.

Roberts maintained that because the report had not linked him directly to corruption, there was no reason for him to resign.

He believes that while the participants of the programme may be disappointed at this point: “I just appeal to them to stay calm, the Prime Minister will find another avenue.”

Offline Tiresais

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #31 on: July 29, 2014, 04:48:35 AM »
What a miserable coward

Offline Flex

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #32 on: July 29, 2014, 06:36:23 AM »
‘Dear Kamla, fire Anil’
By SEAN DOUGLAS (Newsday).


INDEPENDENT Liberal Party (ILP) chairman and Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner yesterday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar urging her to fire Sports Minister Anil Roberts from the Cabinet, over findings in the Finance Ministry’s Life Sport Programme audit.

But in an immediate reaction, Roberts suggested Warner was in no position to point fingers, due to what Roberts claimed were “certain dubious actions” by Warner when he was a government minister.

Warner in his letter to the PM, said the audit had found that “Life Sport” was plagued by procurement breaches, a deviation from Cabinet’s mandate, involvement of some persons in criminal activities, fraud by suppliers, theft of equipment, breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act, and poor control and monitoring by the line Ministry.

Warner explained that good governance and the traditions of Westminster demand that where such mismanagement/corruption occurs, the relevant minister must resign or have his appointment revoked by the Prime Minister.

He cited sections of the 2010 People’s Partnership (PP) Manifesto as grounds in which Roberts should be sacked in keeping with Government’s promised, “greater transparency and accountability.”

Warner said it was the PM’s duty to maintain the image and reputation of the Government and country locally, regionally and internationally. But contacted for a response, Roberts asked who was Warner to make such demands.

“Tell Jack Warner to worry about a letter he wrote on a Ministry of Works and Infrastructure letterhead regarding money by contractors. Tell him to worry about that and read the Integrity in Public Life Act. Other than that, I have nothing to respond to Jack Warner,” Roberts said.

Meanwhile, the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce yesterday said it supports Government’s action over the Life Sport Programme but urges more to be done by way of passing the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Bill.

In a statement yesterday the Chamber commended Persad-Bissessar for ending the programme and sending the Ministry of Finance’s audit of Life Sport to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Commissioner of Police (CoP).

But the Chamber lamented the many discrepancies identified in the report, including poor control by the Ministry of Sports; cases of fraud by suppliers and possible breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The Chamber backed the Prime Minister’s view that this Report underscored the urgent need for procurement laws to become fully operationalised, and recalled that as part of the Private Sector Civil Society Group (PSCSG), they had made this same call to the Prime Minister in an advertisement published on July 25.

The Chamber vowed to continue to monitor this issue and, as with the wider national community, awaits the outcome of the investigations.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #33 on: July 29, 2014, 08:13:16 AM »
No doh fire him!!! leave he dey!! Doh leh he getaway!!!! he is ah moving target!!!!!

Offline Jumbie

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #34 on: July 29, 2014, 09:05:40 AM »
Why is this gov't making it that Anil is untouchable? A disgrace to himself, his constituency and the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Offline Bourbon

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The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline Sando prince

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #36 on: July 29, 2014, 03:43:59 PM »
The Prime Minister is showing weakness by not removing this man from her cabinet. The public is calling for his removal and she is yet to do what should be done. This is not helping her image

Offline D.H.W

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #37 on: July 29, 2014, 04:52:50 PM »
The Prime Minister is showing weakness by not removing this man from her cabinet. The public is calling for his removal and she is yet to do what should be done. This is not helping her image

Everybody knows she weak already. Don't know why she afraid
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Offline Sando prince

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #38 on: July 29, 2014, 07:49:11 PM »
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/o4PxDjowrV0&amp;list=UUoMVhsqo5huXDwMyr3lF4qQ&amp;index=5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/o4PxDjowrV0&amp;list=UUoMVhsqo5huXDwMyr3lF4qQ&amp;index=5</a>

Offline zuluwarrior

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #39 on: July 29, 2014, 08:08:35 PM »
Anil is not the only senior person involve in this shit roll here ,he is protecting somebody and the Project Manager know it , that is why he is not fired yet .

We have to ask ourselves what part the min of finance played in this shit .
.
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Offline AB.Trini

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #41 on: July 29, 2014, 10:21:00 PM »
I stop reading the parliament briefing after diarrhetic sheet start flowing from the man who posing as a sports minister.
Don't you think mr Roberts should stop the childish attack with comments like political slavery from PNM? Every time ah hear this mans peak he sounding and smelling more like a fart in a latrine.

He has a serious mental trauma about PNM- rejection is ah bitch
« Last Edit: July 29, 2014, 10:25:12 PM by AB.Trini »

Offline dtool

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #42 on: July 31, 2014, 11:18:08 AM »

The Inland Revenue Department has a lot of work to do ....

Was any of these monies (34 million man etc) reported ...... with no expenses to deduct ...
Still a win for him however ..... did his company report it...

Did Jack report anything  ??????... did anyone report anything. ....

Who in charge of the Inland Revenue Department ? The Audit Division especially ....

Offline Deeks

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #43 on: July 31, 2014, 12:05:15 PM »
Inland revenue? what they could do?

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #44 on: July 31, 2014, 05:38:14 PM »
 Anil was always problems from way,way back.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2014, 05:40:57 PM by davyjenny1 »
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Offline Aviator

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #45 on: July 31, 2014, 10:26:40 PM »
He's Gone!!!
Quote
Breaking: PM announces that she has accepted the resignation of Anil Roberts as Sport Minister http://t.co/KIrzKm5NsB
Psalm 14:1
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Offline fari

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Offline AB.Trini

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #47 on: August 01, 2014, 08:24:02 PM »
Ok so the inevitable happened but does the probe stop there?

 If the minister cough former minister was adamant that he did nothing wrong  in awarding a 34 million contract and that the finance minister  the same one who was entrusted with the audit was the one who signed off on the contract then is the investigation still on?

Or is this resignation  a " take one for the team" so that further investigation would not reveal more misappropriation by other ministers'. This soap opera eh over nah but  yuh go see how quickly they quiet this one down until another bacchanal issue  appear on the scene.

Offline Flex

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #48 on: August 03, 2014, 06:30:52 AM »
Anil to take fresh Life Sport evidence to DPP, CoP, IC
By Shaliza Hassanali (Guardian).


Former sport minister Anil Roberts has described the controversial Life Sport audit as “flawed, untoward and doctored,” and says he will be taking fresh evidence from the programme to the Director of Public Prosecutions, acting Police Commissioner, Finance Minister and the Integrity Commission.

Roberts said the 53-page report, which was tabled in Parliament on July 25 by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, was “clearly designed to create public mischief.”

Roberts also promised to “seek legal advice on the report,” in a bid to get redress on the matter.

On Thursday, shortly after resigning as sport minister, Roberts said the “Overview of Conclusions” on Page 4 of the report stated that “given the widespread nature of the breaches, it is difficult to understand how they went unnoticed by the Ministry of Sport.

“Consideration has to be given to whether there was complicity by officers of the ministry. For example, the entire payment of $34 million to EBeam Interact Ltd was made not withstanding that external attorneys advised that there may have been grounds to contest and resist the final payment.”

On December 6, 2012, SporTT engaged EBeam to provide numeracy, literacy and interactive technology for the Life Sport programme at a cost of $34 million.

However, a legal battle ensued between SporTT and EBeam over the contract.

Roberts produced a letter from JD Sellier and Company, dated February 17, 2014, written by attorney Anja Dass, which stated that SporTT was obligated under the contract to issue the remaining $17 million to EBeam.

The letter was copied to JD Sellier’s attorney Dennis Gurley and SporTT’s head legal, attorney Lisa Solomon.

“However, given the lack of co-operation on the part of EBeam to meet and negotiate any new terms/conditions/amended contract until said payment is made to him we advised that SporTT was left with no other option but to pay the contracted balance, given SporTT’s position under the contract,” Dass advised.

“This was the final external legal advice upon which the SporTT board and its CEO acted upon,” Roberts said.

Roberts: Vital information conveniently left out in report

The conclusion by the audit committee that Ministry of Sport officials were complicit in making this payment despite external legal advice to the contrary is wrong on many levels, Robert said.

“Firstly, it was the Sport Company that was responsible for managing and making payment on the EBeam contract and not Ministry of Sport officials. Secondly, and more importantly, both internal and external legal advice stated that the Sport Company was legally obligated to pay and had no other option but to pay.”

Roberts also drew reference to a memorandum dated November 11, 2013, sent to CEO of SporTT from Solomon, which stated that “based on the instructions which have been provided, there are no facts which can give rise to a legal termination of this contract. As discussed above, there is no evidence of a material breach of contract by EBeam.”

Roberts said Solomon advised that “the contract between SporTT and EBeam, having been duly executed is a binding legal document,” and that “failure by SporTT to pay EBeam the $17 million, representing 50 per cent of the fee contractually due and owing will, in the circumstances, be a breach of contract and may result in legal action by EBeam to recover the contract price and any other reasonable consequential losses.”

Solomon also recommended that the most feasible option available to SporTT would be to pay to EBeam the monies claimed by their invoice in accordance with the obligations set out in the contract, Roberts said.

However, he said this piece of vital information was conveniently left out of the report.

“Someone intentionally doctored and edited Solomon’s advice before attaching to the report. My question is, who did that and why?”

Roberts said what was equally disturbing, the committee did not return to the Ministry of Sport, Life Sport and SporTT to verify and check the information they had obtained, which is a normal procedure in completing an audit.

“This is not the only thing I found missing. That is fraud. Documents have been doctored to present a false conclusion...a conclusion of complicity, corruption and criminal activity. This is very serious and dangerous.

“So the audit report attaches a legal memorandum with the most important pages missing, then comes to a false conclusion based on the doctored advice. This is too coincidental.”

Finance Minister Larry Howai, whose ministry undertook the audit, did not respond to questions that were e-mailed to him on Friday.

Speaker to get MP’s resignation letter tomorrow

Former sport minister Anil Roberts will submit his letter of resignation as D’Abadie/O’Meara MP to Speaker Wade Mark at 9 am tomorrow.

Roberts in a brief telephone interview yesterday said he would not deliver his resignation letter personally to Mark.

Instead, the letter will be sent from his former executive secretary at the Ministry of Sport to Mark’s personal secretary at his office.

“On Monday, at 9 am, the Speaker will receive my letter of resignation as MP for D’Abadie/O’Meara,” Roberts said.

For Roberts’ resignation to be effective, the Speaker has to receive communication from the MP, which would be read to the House.

Up to Thursday, communications officer of the Parliament Jason Elcock said Roberts’ letter of resignation had not yet been submitted to Mark.

Last Thursday, Roberts was forced to resign from the People’s Partnership Government.

He attributed his resignation to mounting pressures from the public, the Opposition, and even his own Cabinet colleagues.

Roberts’ resignation came six days after the Life Sport audit was laid in the House of Representatives by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Persad-Bissessar said there was enough evidence in the audit to warrant a probe by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the acting Commissioner of Police, Integrity Commission and head of the Public Service.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #49 on: August 03, 2014, 07:05:01 AM »
LifeSport never got tuition programme approval...
By Asha Javeed (Express)


NO $34m SIGN-OFF

Deputy chairman of the LifeSport Implementation Committee Ishwar Mootoo says no approval was ever given by his team for the $34 million contract paid to EBeam Interact to teach mathematics and English.

Mootoo, in a telephone interview with the Sunday Express, said when the proposal was brought before the implementation committee, it was rejected for two reasons—there was concern about the sum of the contract and the centres were not ready to accept the technology which the proposal had outlined.

The LifeSport Implementation Committee was set up by former Sport Minister Anil Roberts in June 2012, shortly after LifeSport was launched.

It was chaired by Forbes Persad and comprised private sector individuals and well as employees from the Ministry of Sport.

Persad resigned several months ago and deferred all questions to Mootoo.

It was this team that managed LifeSport for the first year after it was set up before the director, Cornelius Price, was brought in to manage it.

“We have minutes to show that we did not sign off on that contract,” said Mootoo.

He said this position was outlined to the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago and was surprised several months later when he heard that the contract had been awarded.

It was the Sport Company which awarded Adolphus Daniell the $34 million contract for which he did no work.

Daniell’s $34 million payment was the single biggest payment of the programme for no work unearthed by the Central Audit Committee’s audit into LifeSport.

LifeSport was shut down by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last month.

The Sunday Express sought to ascertain just who gave approval for the Sport Company to approve Daniell’s contract despite the rejection from the LifeSport Implementation Committee, the rationale for contracting Daniell and whether any objection to the contract was raised by permanent secretary Ashwin Creed, as the ministry’s accounting officer.

 The Sunday Express contacted chairman of the Sport Company Sebastien Paddington to ascertain what made the company approve and pay the contract to Daniell but he declined comment, explaining that legal advice was being sought on the matter.

Even as the Sunday Express sought answers as to why a second $17 million payment was made in spite of no work, Paddington deferred comment until he had spoken to the company’s attorneys.

The Sunday Express also called several directors—Reynold Bala, Norris Blanc, Nisa Dass, Anyl Gopeesingh, Sabrenah Khayyam, Kent Samlal and Harnarine Singh­—who all declined comment.

When the Sunday Express contacted the Ministry of Finance for an explanation how this payment went undetected, an official said that when the Sport Company applies for the money allocated to it in the budget, it does not always specify exactly what the payment is for, just a general request for the sum which it requires.

One permanent secretary explained that in Government contracts, usually nothing or at most, ten per cent is paid up front.

And it is only on completion of a project or job, once invoices are sent in, that final payment is made.

“That contract would have had to be an anomaly, a departure from normal procedure so you can tell that other players would have had to be in concert,” said the permanent secretary.

“When you apply for funds from the Ministry of Finance, you have to explain how the funds will be used.

That is how the system works. I don’t understand how there could have been no documented proof that work was not done, and still pay out that sum,” the permanent secretary explained.

Finance Minister Larry Howai had previously explained: “This particular contract was approved by the Sport Company (SporTT), not by the ministry. State enterprises can and do enter into contracts without Cabinet’s approval. As far as I can recall, Cabinet would not have been aware of this contract at the time that it was approved. The Ministry of Sport proceeded with it through the Sport Company rather than through the Ministry of Sport itself.”
 
Daniell defends

Daniell, through his company EBeam Interact Ltd, was solely selected to provide mathematics, English and technology lessons to the participants of LifeSport from December 2012.

However,  EBeam was paid two installments of $17 million- the first installment which represented 50 per cent of the fee was paid on June 14, 2013 and the second payment was done on February 11, 2014.

On March 11, 2013­—three months after he was supposed to start teaching and three months before he was paid $17 million—Daniell wrote a memo to the Sport Company.

He e-mailed a copy to the Sunday Express which he outlined what he thought were the key flaws in the programme:
 
1. The top down prioritisation drains the limited resources before they can filter down to the bottom where the impact is intended. Sadly, the greatest benefits that the participants continue to enjoy are free meals and unearned stipends with no strings attached.

2. The execution of management policies as it pertains to impact on the participants does NOT rely on the participants’ involvement or require them to take personal or collective responsibility for any outcomes. In fact, the current approach is a ‘hand-me-down’ approach which reinforces the prevailing dependency syndrome and exposes management to severe criticism when there is any failure, real or perceived, to meet the needs of the participants who are not made to be responsible for anything other than their collecting material things.

3. Failure to appreciate that there are proven system-dynamics principles which must be used in transitioning a complex, connected system from one state to another. This failure to understand and apply these principles have resulted in a lot of noise and vibrations within the LifeSport System, keeping it in the same state as it continues to use valuable resources in order to sustain the continuous internal noise and vibrations.

“In its present form, the LifeSport programme is on an inevitable collision course which calls for professional, sound, scientific intervention. If what is required is not undertaken, it would be futile to embark on the mathematics, English language or technology component,” he stated.

He said in order “to accomplish and sustain what is desirable, a scientific approach to ordering the processes throughout the entire LifeSport system must be undertaken as a matter of urgency. Without such an undertaking, the LifeSport programme is destined to reinforce the very things it was designed to eliminate, namely dependency, selfishness, unemployable youths who lack values and promote rising crime.”

“If I am expected to meaningfully contribute to the attainment of the LifeSport objectives and the success at the mid-term review, then I would have to lend assistance to the persons who are charged with the responsibility for execution and oversight in ordering the LifeSport System to achieve its desirable and measurable outcomes. If accepted, with immediate effect for the next three months, I would require the following:

1. That the programme director and his team be charged with the absolute responsibility for the overall execution of the LifeSport programme without ad hoc interference. In particular, the Programme Director must have the last say; of course, he will be held accountable by his superiors for the results produced.

2. That I will work with and through the programme director and his team to assist them in the implementation of an effective, scientific, operational framework.

3. I will specify what I need to conduct my work and must be given such within a responsible time frame.

4. All Cabinet defined and Ministry of Sport protocols should be observed.

5. Finally, in this regard, I will give of my time FREE of CHARGE as my personal contribution to my country, Trinidad and  Tobago, at this critical time.

I trust that my requests will be given due consideration and quick approval, with or without further consultation. Regrettably, if there is no desire by the Ministry of Sport to embark on my proposed vital intervention then I would in conscience have to withdraw from further participation in the LifeSport programme and decline any contractual obligation as it relates to mathematics, English language and technology,” his memo stated.

While Daniell was paid, the programme never got started.

Daniell has said he has no intention of returning the money he was paid from the program me.

“The thing about it is, it is a non-issue because the only way under a contract anything is recoverable is if the other party is in default. There was never a single letter of complaint that I was in default of this contract. Not even a phone call,” he had said.

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Offline Flex

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #50 on: August 06, 2014, 02:07:16 AM »
Six days before SporTT got legal advice to pay Daniell second half of $34m LifeSport contract
By Asha Javeed (Express).


$17m CHEQUE OUT

Six days before the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) received legal advice to pay an outstanding $17 million payment to Adolphus Daniell’s EBeam Interact, a cheque had already been made out to him.

Daniell’s cheque for $17 million—the second half of a $34 million payment from the now defunct LifeSport programme to teach Maths and English — was dated February 11, 2014.

SporTT received legal advice from attorney Anja Dass from JD Sellier on February 17 that it “is legally obligated under the contract to issue the remaining balance of the TT$17 million to E-beam”.

It was the second time that JD Sellier had advised SporTT on Daniell’s contract. On January 17, 2014 it had outlined the legal options SporTT had with regard to the contract such as arbitration and re-negotiation of employment terms.

However, despite this, a cheque for the outstanding $17 million was made to Daniell on February 11.

In an e-mail dated February 17, Dass stated: “We suggested that ideally the parties should negotiate terms and conditions of works yet to be done before the payment is made. We further advised that the said payment should be negotiated to be paid in installments based on the works to be done.

“However, given the lack of co-operation on the part of EBeam to meet and negotiate any new terms/condition amended contract until said payment is made to him we advised that SporTT was left in no other option but to pay the contracted balance, given SporTT’s position under the contract.”

The audit into Life-Sport revealed that Daniell was paid $34 million although  no work was done. His $34 million payment was the single biggest payment of the programme for no work unearthed by the Central Audit Committee’s audit into LifeSport.

Daniell has said he has no intention of returning the money.

“The thing about it is, it is a non-issue because the only way under a contract anything is recoverable is if the other party is in default. There was never a single letter of complaint that I was in default of this contract. Not even a phone call,” he has said.

Even as the Express attempts to piece together just who gave approval for the Sport Company to approve Daniell’s contract, the rationale for paying Daniell the entire sum for no work and whether any objection to the contract was raised by permanent secretary Ashwin Creed as the ministry’s accounting officer, documents obtained by the Express show a timeline on how the second $17 million payment was made.

It was former chief executive John Mollenthiel who drafted a note for the board of SporTT to approve the final payment based on his recommendation.

On November 25, Mollenthiel wrote to SporTT chairman Sebastien Paddington noting: “At this time, we are in breach of our contractual obligations and the lack of such payment is adding to delays in the commencement of active teaching (now pushed to February 2014). Subject to your agreement, I’m asking this be circulated via round robin to the board for a decision by close of business tomorrow — i.e. Tuesday, November 26th, 2013.”

By December 2, the note was circulated to the board by SporTT’s corporate secretary Dawn Mohan. The email, in part, stated: “Directors are being asked to indicate whether you approve the recommendation contained in the Board Note by 4 pm on Wednesday 4th December 2013 please.”

Mollenthiel’s note on the “Decision Item” of the “2nd payment to EBeam” observed that: “On account of the delegated financial authority limit of the Permanent Secretary (i.e up to $1 million), the contractual arrangement for these two components are handled by SporTT.”

“By submission of a written synopsis on November 16th 2013, EBeam has, inter alia, reiterated the need for the second payment of $17 million as per contract. The processing of this payment is directly related to the commencement of active teaching, which is now proposed for the first week in February 2013. According to EBeam, any further delays in processing the said payment will serve to further delay the already protracted timeline of February 2014,” noted Mollenthiel.

“The Board is informed that the costs of the contract have been provided for and the sums which are due and owing will be drawn down from the existing loan facility with First Citizens Bank Limited. The Board is further informed that the Bank has recently approved an extension of 45 days on the drawdown period for the loan (previously October 31, 2013.) A brief opinion from SporTT’s Legal Department on the options which are available to SporTT with regard to this request for payment of $17 million is also attached. The opinion supports the CEO’s recommendation to pay the outstanding $17 million as per the obligations set out in the contract between SporTT and EBeam,” he said.

Mollenthiel was interviewed by the Central Audit Committee on July 9 and said he signed the contract to avoid undue delays in the implementation of the literacy component.

“ He said he did not consider the suggested changes to the shortcomings of the contract identified by SporTT legal since he was told that the contract should be ‘loose’, a word he coined as he could not recall the actual word used. He denied that prior knowledge of Mr Daniell’s track record as an educator influenced his decision to sign a ‘loose’ contract. He said another reason for signing was that he always believed Mr Daniell would deliver since he felt that he had an international image to maintain. In hindsight however he believes that he may have been set up and regretted signing the contract. He said he is also astonished at Mr Daniell’s current ‘nit-picking’ behaviour,” the Central Audit Committee’s report into LifeSport stated.

The Express contacted Mollenthiel last week but he declined to speak about the EBeam contract or LifeSport. The Express tried several times to contact him by phone and text massages yesterday but was unsuccessful.

The board of  directors of SporTT are Reynold Bala, Norris Blanc, Nisa Dass, Anyl Gopeesingh, Sabrenah Khayyam, Matthew Quamina, Annan Ramnanansingh, Kent Samlal, Milson Siboo and Harnarine Singh.

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Offline AB.Trini

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #51 on: August 06, 2014, 10:21:57 AM »
Please inform me as I have not seen or read of any sustainable positive impact from the initiatives of this Life Support Program. I emphasize sustainable and positive.

I ask, was the "Hoops for Life" a sustainable initiative? Did it have an altering impact in the  communities?  What lingering legacy did that have? Did it simply add financial resources to Shaquille- like he needed it.

Good intentions poorly implemented would yield undesirable results.

LSP= Life Sport Program or  a Little Something Please
« Last Edit: August 06, 2014, 01:54:13 PM by AB.Trini »

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #52 on: August 07, 2014, 02:56:38 AM »
Roberts: Fire Howai
By CLINT CHAN TACK (Newsday)


FORMER Sport Minister Anil Roberts yesterday rejected a statement by the Finance Ministry that the Life Sport audit was not doctored. In doing so, he demanded that Finance Minister Larry Howai be fired. Roberts also said he is prepared to assist the police in their investigation into the controversial Life Sport programme which cost him his Cabinet post and his seat in the House of Representatives.

“I am ready, willing and able to cooperate. Even the police have been misled by this false report,” he declared. In a statement on Tuesday, the Finance Ministry admitted that two pages of the legal opinion provided by attorney Lisa Solomon, Head Legal at the SPORTT Company, were “inadvertently” omitted.

The Ministry said this was a human lapse and not “a deliberate and insidious act of intent, creating any major flaw in the integrity of the investigation.” In response, Roberts said, “This shows the level of deceitfulness of the Ministry of Finance. It is not a mere two pages that are missing.” He declared this is “an incomplete flawed process that breached all principles of accounting practice, audit and natural justice.”

Roberts said the two pages are critical documentary evidence from a qualified legal mind whose advice flies in the face of the (central audit) committee’s damning, dangerous and false conclusion that $34 million was paid (to Ebeam Interact Limited), despite legal advice to the contrary.”

Saying that neither the Sport Ministry, SPORTT Company nor Life Sport’s management were given the opportunity to respond “to the draft document,” Roberts charged this “is unacceptable at best and fraudulent at worst!”

Reiterating his question about how such a document could have been presented to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to be laid in the House on July 25, Roberts declared, “ This audit is a prime example of incompetence, fabrication and falsehood being given to the highest office holder.”

Responding to Roberts, Finance Ministry officials insisted that Persad-Bissessar did not lay an incomplete report in the House and what was laid was in fact the final report, the officials said the ministry “has undertaken to ensure that corrected copies of the document were distributed to the Prime Minister, Attorney General, Parliament, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Commissioner of Police (CoP) as well as the Integrity Commission.”

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #53 on: August 10, 2014, 04:51:00 AM »
Small companies earn big $$ under Life Sport
By Renuka Singh (Guardian)


Missing documents from the Central Audit Unit (CAU) details an unchecked financial feeding frenzy under the now defunct Life Sport programme. One company, less than two months old, earned almost a million dollars in a single contract, while another was invited to supply educational training and sporting equipment at over $2 million.

Since the CAU report into the controversial Life Sport programme was tabled by the Prime Minister in Parliament on July 2, it has been riddled with criticism from at least four different groups including former Sport minister Anil Roberts and his permanent secretary Ashwin Creed, Life Sport director Cornelius Price, and now the board of directors at the Sport Company of T&T.

Chief among the controversial omissions are the missing appendices from the tabled Life Sport programme which was obtained by the Sunday Guardian and shows evidence of a feeding frenzy under the defunct multi-million dollar programme.

The missing appendices show several companies earning hefty payouts mere months after being legally registered. Some of these companies show no accounting documents or evidence of experience, yet were paid over $900,000 for work under the Life Sport programme. These companies were first highlighted by Independent Liberal Party (ILP) chairman Jack Warner moments before Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar tabled the document.

According to the Ministry of Legal Affairs company registry database, one company, Allsnorth General Contractors, was officially registered on July 31, 2013, and according to the Life Sport appendices, earned $928,000 by September 27, 2013, less than two months later.

• Allsnorth General Contractors’ invoice details payments for a basic course in air conditioning and refrigeration and a basic course in electrical installation.

• Another company, Kardian Construction and Property Management supplied three invoices for cleaning work at the Carapo Community Centre, the Pinto Road Community Centre and the La Horquetta Regional Complex.

For a one-month period, from May 1-31, Kardian Construction claimed $37,900 in the first invoice and $37,580 for the other two, respectively. Scope of works included “clean and polish all stainless steel appliances such as refrigerators” at $3,900, spot clean all windows and other glass panes for $4,000 and spot clean all doors, light switches and walls at a cost of $2,200 for the month.

• Yet another company, Reno Energy Corporation presented the identical scope of works for maintenance of three different fields.

According to the appendices, Reno Energy tendered for refurbishment, upkeep and maintenance of the Fyzabad Recreation Ground, the Tabaquite Recreational Grounds and the Chrissie Trace Recreational Facilities in Enterprise. The first two fields were maintained at a cost of $199,582 each, while the Enterprise field cost $199,852 a month.

The breakdown of the scope of works shows Reno Energy charged the Life Sport programme $20,300 to remove all weeds and knott grass from the fields and an additional $30,400 for services and supplies “not limited to weed killers and fertilizers.” Reno Energy charged a further $14,250 to clean and maintain the playing surface.

According to the company registration, one director of Reno Energy also had a secondary company which was contracted to provide meals to 65 participants and charged $91,000 for meals for 20 days. This catering company, named Jolene Legere, is not listed on the Companies Registry.

• Meanwhile, Kadeem and Associates provided invoices for training at a cost of $970,000 but was also invited by Life Sport to send a quotation for the supply of uniforms, sports equipment and team kits. That quotation came in at over $2 million.

• A further 38 caterers earned over $3 million in June 2014.

Thirty-three of those caterers earned $86,450 for providing 65 breakfasts and lunches over the course of 19 days.

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Offline Bourbon

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #54 on: August 11, 2014, 12:18:52 PM »
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/How-the-LifeSport-contract-went-from-12m-to-34m-270699381.html

Quote
By Asha Javeed asha.javeed@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Aug 10, 2014 at 10:51 PM ECT
Story Updated: Aug 11, 2014 at 11:57 AM ECT
On September 4, 2012, Adolphus Daniell, a director of eBeam Interact, submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Sport to teach math and English throughout Trinidad as part of the LifeSport programme.

The cost of that two-year programme was $7.5 million for the first year and $4.5 million for the second year—a total of $12 million. Two months later, on November 4, 2012, Danie­ll again submitted the proposal to the ministry. This time, the cost of the two-year programme was revised to $11 million for the first year and $11 million for the second year—a total of $22 million.

There were no material changes to the two proposals titled “Proposal for Mathematics and English Language courses for participants at thirty-eight LifeSport centres in Trinidad and Tobago”, of which the Express has a copy, except the cost. On December 6, 2012, a contract was signed by Daniell, whose registered office is at LP#52 John Street, Montrose, and the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT).

The total on the contract was $34 million. The scope of services in the contract was copied straight from Daniell’s proposal, but there was no justification for the costs although a justification for sole-selection, dated November 23, was attached to the contract. “It should be noted that the budget for literacy and numeracy is exclusively to meet the cost of teachers, quality assurance and the monitoring component. There is no direct cost to eBeam Interact Ltd for supplying these service elements.

In addition, the programme costs have been bud­geted for technology equipment and installation. Given the sensitive nature of this programme, the Ministry of Sport supports this implementation approach of utilising the services of sole select supplier,” the justification for sole select stated. Daniell’s first $12 million proposal had stated the equipment required for his teaching engagement would be one eBeam engage system (complete), one laptop, one high-resolution multimedia projector and a digital student-response system which is commonly called a voting system.

Further, each facilitator would be given one 16-gigabyte USB flash drive. In addition, he required a high-definition digital camcorder and appropriate accessories. He also said a biometric time-and-attendance system would be installed at each centre.

In addition, for that $12 million cost, SporTT would have been the recipient of:
• a high-resolution multimedia projector for all 38 centres;
• high-resolution multimedia projectors for all 38 centres;
• laptop computers for all 38 centres;
• digital camcorders for all 38 centres;
• automated student-response system for each class group at all 38 centres;
• 2,300 student-response clickers (one for each participant);
• web-enabled, biometric time-and-attendance system for all 38 centres;
• hosting fees and monthly fees associated with Cloud storage;
• Integrated management information system;
• web-portal development and confi­guration;
• web-portal implementation, ongoing maintenance and support cost of training all users;
• development and production of training manuals and cost of other training resources;
• cost of installation of all hardware;
• licensing fees;
• shipping and handling;
• internal transportation of equipment and ongoing travel of personnel management fees;
• production of monthly reports;
• miscellaneous costs.

At $22 million, those services remained the same.
But after a $34 million contract was signed, no work was done and the SporTT company does not have any of the equipment which it would have expended sums to cover. According to eBeam, which is distribu­ted by US-based Luidia Inc, Daniell’s Educational Community Ltd is its sole Trinidad distributor. The Express understands each eBeam device costs under US$1,000.[/b]

An invoice submitted to the Ministry of Sport by eBeam Interact showed a total cost of all equipment for the LifeSport centres at US$125,590 (TT$797,496.50). The Express tried to contact Daniell in an attempt to understand how the cost had escalated and whether he had acquired the equipment for the programme and, if so, whether he left the equipment he had obtained with SporTT. On the first attempt, the Express was told: “Please do not contact me again.

Thank you.”The Express again tried to contact Daniell last Saturday and was told: “I have asked you not to call me again. Could you please respect that?” before the call was ended.

Creed and the contract

EBeam Interact was registered on August 9, 2007, by attorney Allison Eustace Luther Roberts, of Roberts and Company. He is the father of former sport minister Anil Roberts. The directors of the company are Daniell and Gloria Kirton. On March 8, 2013, the SporTT company had a board meeting in the Giselle Salandy Room of its offices at Henry Street, Port of Spain.

Among the issues discussed was the contract to EBeam.
The board minutes stated: “The board ratified the decision made on 6th December 2012 to award the contract for the numeracy and literacy components of the LifeSport programme to eBeam Interact Limited in the sum of TT$34 million based on the fact, among other things, that the recommendation was made by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport (Ashwin Creed) to the CEO of SporTT (then John Mollenthiel).

Board approval will be required for any additional payment in excess of the TT$34 million to EBeam Interact Limited for the numeracy and literacy component of the LifeSport programme.” For its $34 million, EBeam was paid in two installments of $17 million—the first installment which represented 50 per cent of the fee was paid on June 14, 2013, and the second payment was done on February 11, 2014.

At a news conference last Friday, Creed’s lawyer, Peter Taylor, said his client was being made a scapegoat. “The permanent secretary cannot direct the board. He can advise. The special-purpose company is a legal entity on to itself,” Taylor said in defence of Creed.
Last Thursday, Cabinet fired the SporTT board, which was chaired by Sebastien Paddington and included Reynold Bala, Norris Blanc, Nisa Dass, Anyl Gopeesingh, Sabrenah Khayyam, Matthew Quamina, Annan Ramnanansingh, Kent Samlal, Milson Siboo and Harnarine Singh.

Mollenthiel resigned from the company two months ago. Contacted last Saturday on whether he was aware of a friendship between his father and Daniell, the former sport minis­ter explained his father was a lawyer with over 50 years in practice and was surprised he had registered Daniell’s company. He said no recommendation ever came from him to the SporTT board to approve Daniell’s contract.

‘Major, deliberate obstacles’

On September 16, 2013, Daniell sent a document to Mollenthiel requesting an update on why the programme was not yet started. Daniell insisted the centres were not ready with the format for teaching being very structured. He noted EBeam had acquired 38 EBeam Interactive Whiteboard systems, 38 laptop computers and 43 printers, which it was under no obligation to do, 38 high-resolution multimedia projectors, 76 USB drives of 16GB and a voting system.

In the document, Daniell stated: “Suddenly, and regrettably, eBeam has encountered major, deliberate obstacles and open interference as it attempts to execute its contractual obligations related to the technology component. In one brazen case, an executive order was issued to eBeam to cease the essential manual activity of acquiring a true record of the daily attendance of all staff and participants at all the LifeSport centres.

“Further, that instruction was reinforced by a well-orchestrated act of violent intimidation, which included the confiscation, and destruction of government equipment in the process. “These treacherous acts ensured that eBeam stopped the recording of all other relevant data that could expose financial and other irregularities within the LifeSport programme.”

Audits and the EBeam contract

The EBeam contract was highlighted in the Ministry of Finance’s Central Audit Committee’s July 2014 audit report into LifeSport, which has now been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Integrity Commission, the Commissioner of Police and the head of the Public Service.

However, in November 2013, the Ministry of Finance’s audit committee had compiled an interim report of the Life­Sport programme and had voiced concerns about Daniell. That report stated: “Central Audit noted that EBeam, played an unusual role in the programme, for example loans were issued to the Ministry of Sport. Staff also involved in the programme indicated that Mr Daniell of EBeam personally interacted with other contractors such as the coordinators, coaches, caterers, etc, and he tried to run the programme as he saw fit.

For example, he paid coaches an additional salary from his personal funds and was subsequently reimbursed by the MSYA (Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs); Central Audit was not provided with the approval for the re-payment to EBeam.”

The recommendation by the Central Audit then was that the current contract be cancelled or renegotiated so that SporTT will have better control of the monies expended toward the component of the programme. It was in November 11, 2013, that SporTT got legal advice from its head of legal, Lisa Solomon, to pay Daniell his outstanding $17 million payment.

Daniell received his second payment on February 11, 2014, without once having taught a lesson at LifeSport.
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Offline AB.Trini

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #55 on: August 12, 2014, 08:29:13 AM »
Like every other unresolved issue - wha happen this talk done? No more investigation? What happen to all the other missing pieces they finding? Allyuh real good we moving from one thing to the next and eh resolving  none- closure is ah bitch

Offline Sando prince

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #56 on: August 25, 2014, 02:04:35 AM »
The narrative has changed since the Reform Bill was introduced in Parliament. This is still an issue


Quote

Govt repays $150m LifeSport loan

By By Asha Javeed

The Government has spent over $150 million of taxpayers’ dollars to pay off two loans taken by the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) to fund the now-defunct LifeSport programme which targeted criminal elements for rehabilitation. 

Fiance Minister Larry Howai told the Sunday Express two loans were taken to finance LifeSport during the programme’s two-year existence. The loans were taken by SporTT from State bank First Citizens in 2013.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Govt-repays-150m-LifeSport-loan-272444841.html 

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« Last Edit: August 30, 2014, 11:26:27 AM by Sando prince »

Offline AB.Trini

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #57 on: August 30, 2014, 11:12:06 AM »
It have some people in here real quiet on the issues - me eh go surprise that it may have people in here who benefitted from the program or knew someone who did or had a relative or frien who did-
Yuh know this issue gone cold too? They get ah scapegoat and all the others in different ministries in RECOIL mode. Steups
 What happen to the further investigations? Happy independence

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #58 on: August 30, 2014, 05:28:38 PM »
It have some people in here real quiet on the issues - me eh go surprise that it may have people in here who benefitted from the program or knew someone who did or had a relative or frien who did-
Yuh know this issue gone cold too? They get ah scapegoat and all the others in different ministries in RECOIL mode. Steups
 What happen to the further investigations? Happy independence

Who tell you this issue gone cold? Don't believe that everything you imagine is real unless you are speaking for yourself rather than for the general T&T population.
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Offline Sando prince

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Re: Life Sport programme Thread.
« Reply #59 on: September 04, 2014, 08:11:37 PM »

..

Quote
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Ashwin Creed, can now put the spectre of the controversial Life Sport programme behind as he has gone home on pre-retirement leave. This was confirmed by the Head of the Public Service Reynold Cooper yesterday. Creed has been on extended leave of absence since May and will remain on pre-retirement leave until April next year, Cooper told the T&T Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-09-04/pre-retirement-leave-creed


 

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