Cricket, Local News

Questionable spending of money borrowed for 2007 WCC

St. George’s, December 6, 2009 (GIS) – Grenada’s spending to host matches of the 2007 World Cup of Cricket is in the news again.
 
 Chairman of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Lingham Samuel, says that a recent audit has shown that money borrowed for playing field refurbishing in St. Andrew and St. David may not have been used for the intended purpose.
 
 “The authority was directed to contract a $2 million loan from RBTT to finance the refurbishment of La Sagesse and Progress Park playing fields in preparation for Cricket World Cup 2007,’’ Mr. Samuel said at an NLA event last Saturday.
 
 “The auditors conducted a review of the funds utilized through the RBTT loan and concluded that expenses totalling $348,259. 78 had no bearing on the activities of Cricket World Cup.’’
 
 Mr. Samuel was appointed NLA chairman in 2008, following the general election win of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
 
 The NDC victory “ushered in changes to the composition to the Board of Directors’’ of the NLA, but the transition “took place in less than optimal conditions,’’ said Mr. Samuel.
 
 However, it was immediately recognized that the NLA “needed new direction and focus,’’ he said.
 
 “We discovered that Audited Statement of Account had not been done since July 1, 2006, which is a violation of Section 25 of the National Lotteries Act 20 of 1999,’’ the NLA chairman said.
 
 New auditors were appointed and the NLA is now “up to date’’ with its accounting statements, Mr. Samuel said.
 
 “We now report that statements have been completed, signed off and submitted to the Minister of Sports,’’ he said. “These are statements for the periods July 1 2006 to December 31 2007, and January 1 to December 31, 2008.’’
 
 The NLA, which is responsible to the Minister of Sports, supports sports and cultural activities throughout Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
 
 As NLA chairman, Mr. Samuel promised that the Board of Directors will “scrupulously abide by its obligations’’ under the National Lotteries Act.

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