Fraud examiner clears the air on the part he played in review of Transport Board operation – and not prosecution of Josiah

Prime Minister Gaston Browne appears to have given misleading information with regard to the Harry Josiah prosecution, as well as the investigation of the Transport Board undertaken by certified fraud examiner Kem Warner.

In an interview on Saturday, March 5, Browne indicated that former Board Chairman Dean Jonas had commissioned a review of the Transport Board’s operations.

The fraud charges against Josiah, former general manager of the agency, emanated from that investigation, he said.  But, according to Browne, the Cabinet had no involvement in the litigation, since it was undertaken behind members’ backs.

Browne then stated that the investigator, Warner, had turned against his administration because the review was discontinued and had transferred his support to the United Progressive Party (UPP).

However, in an attempt to clear the air on what he terms the “deception,” Warner says he was contracted to conduct a review into the Transport Board and not specifically on Harry Josiah.

Warner made it clear that Jonas was not a Cabinet Minister at the time he ordered the investigation/review, but was Chairman of the Transport Board and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He says, in September 2014, Jonas sent him the terms of reference by which he was to conduct his work at the Transport Board and its subsidiary company for the period 2004 to 2014.

Warner says  he subsequently received a letter from the Cabinet Secretary, dated October 1 that same year, giving the nod for the investigation to commence immediately, along with a mobilization fee.

The document was copied to the Chairman of the Cabinet PM Browne and Attorney General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin among other individuals.

Warner says the Prime Minister is trying to play on words with respect to what he knew of the investigation/review.

Speaking to the discontinuation of the assignment, which Browne claims was ordered by his Administration, this is what Warner has to say:

Warner says that he spent almost a year conducting the investigation/review before calling it quits.