If you ever wonder why sports programs for kids are so under-funded and under-resourced, or why public sports facilities are in such a dreadful condition - tonight, we have a part of the answer. It's because the National Sports Council has been systematically fleeced, raided like a broken piggy bank.
And the evidence comes from a report of the auditor general who provides a small snapshot into the Council's inner workings. The audit covers one year of operations, April 2015, to March 2016, a single fiscal year, but a multitude of infractions, hustles and lawless behavior. And, all of it went un-reported, swept under the UDP's red rug. That is until now.
The 160 page audit on the National Sports Council uncovers a number of serious infractions, but it also looks at what may be legal infractions - and one involves former UDP minister of state Herman Longsworth, who was responsible for the sports portfolio from 2012 to 2015.
As has been widely reported, Longsworth was the private contractor who built the imposing fence at the Marion Jones Facility. The report found that he was also the moving hand behind a shell company called Go Enterprises - where he was the sole signatory on the company's bank account. The auditor general's team found that in mid 2015 the sports council retained Go Enterprises to do some work at the Marion Jones Stadium - even though the company had been formed that very same year. On 27th October, the company received $75,000 in mobilization fees. Longsworth - who held no office at the time since parliament had been dissolved and he wasn't running again - diverted $35,000 to the UDP/Albert Committee account and $5,000 into his personal account. Both transactions were completed by October 30th, 2015 - 4 days before the general elections.
After the elections, GO Enterprises received two more payments, amounting to $50,000.
The Auditor General's team fully investigated all aspects of the dealings between the Sports Council and Go Enterprises, and spoke to all parties, and concludes, quote, "it can be viewed that Minister Longsworth and the Directors (of the company) may have violated the prevention of public life act" End quote. The reports notes a person commits an act of corruption if, quote, "he illegally uses official influence in support of any scheme, or in furtherance of any contract in regard to which he had an interest." End quote. The auditor general also notes that the Minister may have acted contrary to his oath of office. She also concluded that the government did not get value for the funds expended at Marion Jones. We note there has never been an official tally of those figures.
And, that's not all that happened at the Sports Council. The Auditor General found that a former Senior pay clerk Ivan Ayuso had allegedly diverted $416,228 into his personal accounts at three different banks - amounting to a massive and still unrecovered loss to the Sports Council.
And, former Sports Director Patrick Henry was also accused of many infractions and irregularities, particularly with cashing cheques. That included one for $5,000 dollars made out as a contribution to the "back to school program in the Collett division." But the cheque was cashed by an employee who gave the cash to Henry. When the auditors asked Henry what he did with the cash, he said he gave it to the sports minister and area rep Patrick Faber. Faber told the auditors that he did not receive this money even through Henry maintained that he did.
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