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Ambassador Shyne Stands Firm On President Sapnah
posted (August 31, 2018)
And so while the Prime Minister seemed there to be chiding his son for publicly undermining the Deputy Prime Minister - Musical Ambassador Shyne is holding his line. He says NICH President Budhrani remains - in his mind - under a cloud of suspicion:..

Jules Vasquez- Reporter
"Sir, but you have written severally to the minister, to the president herself, accusing her of material acts of, let's call it the popular word for today, misfeasance. The board is there saying 'no, no, no' the auditor is wrong and by implication Shyne is wrong. There isn't anything wrong, there are errors in the auditor's report, do you accept then that there are also errors in your conclusion?"

Shyne Barrow- Music Ambassador
"Absolutely not; the questions that were most prevalent were never answered, as far as the fuel usage and the auditor did not address any of the questions that were raised in the preliminary internal audit. But I will not necessarily engage in a back and forth because cabinet has made a decision that an independent auditor ought to go in there and get to the bottom of it. The decision was not to terminate Ms. Budhrani but instead to give natural justice. One side was the president, via the internal auditor, they have their side. So, you call in the referee which is the independent auditor and allow them to make the decision. So, I don't see the NICH board repeating the position of their minister of culture, who appointed them, I don't see that as being any bomb shell or any iron clad. They have been touting that line, the cabinet was not satisfied because the Minister of Culture, I am sure, I don't know for a fact but I would presume that he presented that side of the story to Cabinet and Cabinet's decision was that there be an independent audit and once the independent audit is completed then I believe we will have all the facts."

Jules Vasquez
"However, the interpretation being taken here, sir, is that it is a personal struggle or a professional issue between you and the president and the Prime Minister, being your father, having your back, this is an interpretation, has taken your position and that of the internal auditor over his own Deputy Prime Minister."

Shyne Barrow
"Well, you forgot to mention the CWU who completely endorsed my position. So to turn the narrative into, so it's me; it is the internal auditor, and it is the CWU, it is the cabinet, everybody has it wrong except, you know, the person that I am confident there are serious issues with."

Jules Vasquez
"And her board of directors."

Shyne Barrow
"Well, the board of directors are a rubber stamp. They are appointed by the minister."

Jules Vasquez
"Men and women of integrity. Steve Perrera, an attorney, Roosevelt Blades, a factotum for the minister. I am just saying it is not a card board board."

Shyne Barrow
"That is the minister's board. So, again, I believe it is a matter to be dealt with by the independent auditor and the cabinet has made that decision. My position has not changed but I don't see how you give more credibility to a board that was appointed by the minister of culture than you do to the internal auditor who now they say was not qualified but they never fired him. But now he is not qualified because the things that he has uncovered are not pleasant to them."

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