Eustace asks more questions about US$1 million deposit

The issue of the US$1million deposited at the National Commercial Bank (NBC) which created much controversy here in 2009 has resurfaced.{{more}}

Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace placed the matter back on the front burner on Tuesday, January 25, while making his presentation on the 2011 National Budget.

Eustace said when he had first raised the matter in the House of Assembly he was told by the Prime Minister “in the most contemptuous manner” that he is not obliged to answer questions relating to the matter.

“He the Minister of Finance. He’s not obliged to answer,” said Eustace.

“Whether the Prime Minister likes it or not, I was elected to this Parliament by the people of East Kingstown. My colleagues supported me as Opposition Leader, and in that capacity I come to this Parliament and I ask the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance of this country, that one million dollars in cash, US dollars, was deposited to the NCB, where it came from?” Eustace asked.

Eustace said previously he had asked what is the source of funding of the US$1 million, but did not succeed in getting an answer.

This time, the Opposition Leader posed a new set of questions to the Prime Minister.

The questions are: When the funds came to St.Vincent and the Grenadines, where were they? Were they at the Prime Minister’s residence? Did they go to the Ministry of Finance? Who in the Ministry of Finance took the cash to the NCB? When the NCB recognized that something was wrong and asked that someone come to take back the cash, who came to take it back? Was the cash returned to the Ministry of Finance? Was there a meeting at that time to make a determination as to how that matter should be dealt with? Did anybody from the Central Bank attend that meeting? What happened then to the cash? Was it escorted or taken out of this country. If so, where did it go? Did it go to the Central Bank? If so, who took it out? How did it get back to the Account General’s account?

Eustace said he would also like to know if there was a Suspicious Activity Report filed by the NCB at the Finance Intelligence Unit (FIU). He added that he would also like to know if the ECCB (East Caribbean Central Bank) knew the source of the funds.

Eustace said his questions are not asked idly, because time will tell. (HN)