Marsh calls out PM Browne and his role in Vehicle Scandal

Attorney Wayne Marsh – UPP caretaker for St. Paul is questioning what role Prime Minister Gaston Browne has played in the ‘vehicle gate scandal’.

Marsh while speaking at the oppositions Townhall meeting on Tuesday night mentioned that while the PM “has been very vocal about the matter” he has “sought to distance himself entirely from the whole ordeal” and “not said where he stands in the whole picture”.

“Strangely enough the Prime Minister himself has made it clear that has now been called the bronco scandal has been able to happen because of systemic corruption in the government of Antigua and Barbuda and he has said that there must be reforms and has promised these reforms. We welcome that in theory but what we know has been deafening in the Prime Minister’s pronouncements is where he stands,” Marsh said.

Marsh said that with the laws put in place like the Finance Administration Act of 2006 to manage and control the finances of the country, it is ironic that the PM would not be aware as he is the Minister of Finance and specific protocols must run through him.

“The Honorable Gaston Browne is placed at the helm of responsibility when you look at this Act. What this is saying is where persons are engaged in the spending utilizing public money it is the Minister of Finance who has ultimate responsibility,” Marsh added.

He said the PM should not be left off the hook and “has failed” in his role as the Minister of Finance.

“It tells me clearly that either the Minister of Finance does not understand his role, or he has otherwise chosen to ignore the responsibility entrusted to him under the Act,” Marsh said.

Where the proposed conducting of audits is concerned, marsh is questioning who exactly would carry out these duties.

“Is it an accounting firm? Is it an individual? Who? What will be the terms of reference? How long will it take? What bodies and institutions will be audited? Is it Customs? Is it the Transport Board? Who? Where? What? We don’t know. So, what I am saying what the Prime Minister has really engaged in is what I call propaganda,” Marsh stated.

He is calling on the PM to come clean and “let us know what is really happening”.