BIN FRAUD REFUND COMES IN SHORT

PM - Roosevelt Skerrit

154 days after he promised a substantial refund of money looted from the Treasury in the Andre Dopwell garbage bin fraud, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit made a November 2^nd, 2009 disclosure that the matter has been settled

“The issue of the garbage bin money… well that money has in fact been repaid and the treasury has received that money and the treasury has cleared this money in the bank and the matter has been dealt with”.

Skerrit made the eleven second statement at a meeting with overseas based Dominicans visiting for the Independence celebrations in response to a specific question on the matter. The absence of details in the brief statement obviously intended to brush aside the growing embarrassment, left a number of unanswered questions:

1. How much money was repaid?
2. How was the amount repaid determined?
3. Who negotiated the amount repaid?
4. Who approved the amount repaid?
5. When was the money repaid?
6. Who repaid the money?
7. Did the money come from Dopwell’s account at the Susquehanna Patriot Bank in Pottstown Pennsylvania to which the 750 thousand dollar garbage bin payment was wired in May 2008?
8. If not, why not?

Unconfirmed reports from usually reliable sources reveal that an amount of approximately 423 thousand dollars was received more than a month ago from a regional Queens Counsel representing Andre Dopwell who according to Skerrit’s presentation of the facts volunteered a refund that government did not request.

The formula for the refund was allegedly proposed by Dopwell in a letter which Skerrit claims was written on June 1^st, 2009 and received (presumably by fax) on the same day – a public holiday in Dominica.

Skerrit agreed to the refund formula and read it straight from Dopwell’s alleged letter in his June 02, 2009 address to the nation:

“… I am offering to have the shipment valued at the known market price plus 10% service charge and other expenses such as freight and assurance. I will deduct this net cost from the funds that were wired to my company by the Government of Dominica and shall reimburse the government of Dominica the balance within fourteen working days.

“Also kindly let me know the government’s position in relation to the bins which were short shipped. I need to know whether they are still required or whether a refund is required in relation to these”.

Based on the uncontested facts revealed in the comprehensive Talk Radio probe of the garbage bin fraud, a refund in excess of 500 thousand dollars was widely anticipated. The shortfall and the apparent involvement of legal counsel raise new questions:

1. Who is the Queens Counsel representing Dopwell?
2. Did government also have legal representation and from who?
3. How much did Dopwell’s legal representation cost and was it deducted from the refund?
4. How much did government’s legal representation cost and was it deducted from the refund?

Regardless of the amount received, the refund confirms that the Treasury was looted and in the absence of the Talk Radio probe bitterly criticized by Government, the perpetrators of this blatant act of fraud would have gone their merry way confident that they would not be pursued by Dominica’s law enforcement agencies.

We wait now to see whether this confirmation of corrupt business practice by a US resident in a foreign land will finally trigger appropriate action from the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Tagged as: Dopwell, Garbage Bin Fraud, Roosevelt Skerrit