Opposition Leader: Central Bank must be investigated

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar. - PHOTO COURTESY OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENT

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has called for an investigation into the Central Bank based on the results of the Special Report of the Auditor General on the Public Accounts for the Financial Year 2023.

The special report was laid by Finance Minister Colm Imbert in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Speaking at the UNC’s cottage meeting in Chaguanas on Monday, Persad-Bissessar said she was informed the report was laid but was not circulated to members of the UNC up to 3 pm when they left Parliament.

The report noted that to date, there has been no internal audit into the understatement of revenue for the financial year 2023 by the Ministry of Finance. It said the Finance Ministry had said the errors leading to the understatement of $2.6 billion in revenue were caused by errors in the Central Bank’s electronic cheque-clearing system.

It said when the Auditor General asked to be allowed to examine the system, the request was denied.

Persad-Bissessar said the report said $3 billion was “still missing.”

“Three billion dollars is still missing. Where has the money gone? The Central Bank refused access to the Auditor General. Has the Central Bank been complicit in cooking the books with this government? What else is the Central Bank and government hiding?

“Our confidence in the Central Bank has been diminished. I call for an enquiry into the actions of the Central Bank of TT; I call for an investigation of the changeover of the $100 bill. Why wouldn’t they let the Auditor General do her job?

“Remember, they both oversaw the change of the polymer bills. They were in charge. It makes you ask if billions were looted and stolen during the 100-dollar bill changeover. We have to ask.”

The Opposition Leader also castigated the Finance Minister for “bullying the Auditor General.

“He used the fig-leaf of Parliamentary privilege to bully the woman when she has no right of Parliamentary reply.”

She noted the matter was still sub-judice.

Persad-Bissessar said the over 60 bills laid in Parliament on Monday had nothing to do with citizens’ lives. She criticised the government for bringing bills which had been laid in Parliament four years ago and more.

“They brought the Constitution Amendment Tobago Self-Government Bill. You know when that was laid in Parliament? In October 2020. These people not serious; they really want to mamaguy the Tobago people.

"But the Tobago people bright like Jearlean John; they know what they have to do when the time comes.

“Campaign Finance Reform was laid in our Parliament for years ago. Sent to a JSC (Joint Select Committee) in 2020, work of the JSC carried over to 2022, 2024. There are several others they did that with today.”

Persad-Bissessar said while she did not attend the House today, she noted the PM did not attend either.

Dr Rowley left the country on September 1 for medical tests in the US. He named Energy Minister Stuart Young to act in his absence.