by Linda Straker
- Sheldon Scott confirmed he will be repaying money associated with government-assigned cellphone
- Scott has written to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance accepting full liability and responsibility for account
Two weeks after his name was pointed out as one of the persons whose telephone bill is being paid for by taxpayers, Sheldon Scott, former Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has confirmed that he was using the phone, and will be repaying the thousands associated with the account.
Scott’s appointment as Parliamentary Secretary was revoked in June 2016. He is presently one of the hosts of a New National Party talkshow. At the conclusion of his show on Monday, Scott informed his listeners that he had written to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance telling her that he has accepted full liability and responsibility for the account which was assigned to him in May 2013.
Scott read out the letter which he said was sent to Patricia Clarke, the current Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. “I write to you regarding the matter of mobile account 1 473 534 5113 currently in the name of the Government of Grenada. I acknowledge this number assigned to me in May 2013 in my capacity as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports and has been in my possession up to the end of my parliamentary stint up to the end of June 2016.”
“Said number remained in my possession after June 2016 and as such, I accept full liability and responsibility for all charges incurred on said account Digicel number 1 473 534 5113 from July 2016 to the present date,” he continued without stating the date of the letter.
In the concluding paragraph, he said, “Please note that I have discontinued the use of this number and I trust between myself and your ministry an amicable formula for the repayment and or payment of any sums paid on owed on said account can be reached within a reasonable timeframe.”
The number used by Scott according to a leaked document shows that for the months of April to June 2019 he incurred almost EC$70,000 in charges. “Any money that is owed on said account will be repaid by me,” he told the audience. He reminded them that there was never any occasion since the scandal broke, in which he did not take ownership of the account.
“There is not any occasion where I have said that I don’t take responsibility,” he said, informing the listeners that both his children and family are being harassed by persons since the scandal. He promised to use the law to stop the attacks if need be.
Last week Tuesday, Press Secretary Philomena Robertson said that all money incurred by those who are using phones in the name of the government will have to repay the money.
Trade Minister Oliver Joseph had said that the problem of former public officers continuing to use government assigned phones is a systematic failure and Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell said he was embarrassed by the development.
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Mr. Scott,
this is not the only issue at play here. at the very minimum fellow Grenadians the following must be done as this is outright fraud and embezzlement :
1. an independent audit of the phone bills for the period in question 2016-2019 to ascertain the exact amounts in question – i’m sure it is much more than $70K;
2. formal charges brought against Scott and a Judgement in the Court of Law – to ensure repayment and jail time if not repaid;
3. explanation, from audit point 1, as to what services were consumed for the data used – i.e., was it for NNP party work, Pornography etc;
4. a review of other services that Scott may have availed himself of illegally;
5. as Scott is a politically exposed person a review of any possibly breach of the integrity in public life act and legal disclosures that he would have made under penalty of law
this is not a simple matter where he can just admit guilt and ask to repay .. much more at steak here
We must ask PM Mitchell as Minister of Finance to instruct the Police and FIU to investigate the fraud of the phone bills by Sheldon whose abuse as we know was funded by taxpayers contributions. “I am embarrassed” is not enough, by PM let us hear him say; The law will take its course as it did with Mr Beggs eg: Justice Guilford sent him to jail for two years and repay the money in limited time and failure to pay will earn further jail years.MP Mitchell may need to step down if he stops the police investigating this fraud from his Ministry.
Really is tax payers money that will pay this bis just a cover up
And this is the same man dat likes to run up he mout and call people name saying how dey dishonest and d boss of d teachers union u pay d backdated monies to the teachers dat went on strike but dis parasite Sheldon Scott was fleecing Grenadians tax payers monies to pay him fone bill… How ironic eh?
Is there an administrative body who was responsible for collecting phones after individuals left their post??