Auditor General’s Report says there was lack of cooperation during investigation

Godwin Hulse

The Auditor General’s report also makes pointed reference to challenges regarding the lack of cooperation during their investigation. In fact, Director of Immigration Maria Marin is named with great prominence in the report – accused of, “blatant disrespect for the Auditor General’s office and lack of regard for the law.” The team stated that they were basically given the run around when they requested documents and in fact concluded the investigation without being able to obtain key and critical evidence in the investigation. That’s interesting because by law the Auditor General should be able to access any and all documents requested during an investigation. And it’s also interesting because Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse has consistently stated that where he is concerned, the Auditor General received maximum cooperation. So who’s being less than truthful, to put it diplomatically?

Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration

“Indeed she alleges that there was non-cooperation on the part of the Director. That is absolutely inaccurate. And I will say that because as I understand it officers who were doing the audit kept asking officers in Immigration for documentation and their response was that it is with the Director or it is with the Minister. There is a protocol in government for communication. It’s called memorandums. The Auditor-General when her officers reported it to her should have written to the Director formally to request or written to the Ministry. Now I understand from the Director that there was no such correspondence written to her to request any documentation. I understand that from her. I can categorically say that there was none written to the Ministry cause there was no correspondence to me saying we needed A, B and C which we understand are in your custody or in the custody of the C.E.O.  There was no such correspondence. When the Auditor-General did write to me of course I immediately responded and said we give her maximum cooperation and if there is an issue with getting documentation please forward to the C.E.O. and we will facilitate forthwith and that was done.”

Geovannie Brackett

Geovannie Brackett, President, COLA

“When they tried to exercise their rights with the Department they were rebuffed, an action led by no less than the Director of Immigration herself, according to the report. Mrs. Marin consistently found ways to evade requests made by the Audit Department for access to these records. According to the report, she would tell them to go to the Minister, who would send them back to the Department. Even when the Minister indicated that they would comply with the directive, it was not done.”

Kareem Musa

Kareem Musa, Attorney for Private Prosecution

“It says in the Auditor-General’s report – we were left with a promise that it would be gotten from him, Godwin Hulse…all those registers, all those records. And I quote again, as the Auditor-General laments, “it was later revealed by Gordon Wade and Ady Pacheco that Minister Hulse is the one who had the records, and that she would request the records from him.” She went on to state that to date we have not received these vital records that would have assisted us in our investigation. So Godwin Hulse sir, you need to come to the nation and say where are those records…those very vital records that your Auditor-General says you have denied her access to.”