by thegallery242.com
In the ongoing trial of FNM Member of Parliament Adrian Gibson and four others in the Supreme Court, Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) retiree John Bowleg, who served as Acting Assistant General Manager of Internal Control, told the court that his salary was withheld and National Insurance Board (NiB) payments were not made after he failed to comply with instructions from then-General Manager Elwood Donaldson, who is also on trial.
Bowleg further revealed the extent of the repercussions he faced, stating that his phone was disconnected, and he lost access to work emails.
Bowleg testified that he was instructed to report to the corporation’s office in person, a directive he opted not to follow due to safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acting Chief Procurement Officer Carl Oliver, who also represented the Ministry of Finance on the WSC Board of Directors, took the witness stand after Bowleg.
Oliver’s testimony delved into the procedural intricacies governing project approvals within the corporation.
Oliver emphasized that while the board could approve projects exceeding $250,000, cabinet approval was a requisite step.
This revelation contradicted former Minister of Works Desmond Bannister’s earlier testimony, where he claimed he was not aware of the necessity for cabinet approval for projects surpassing the $250,000 threshold.
Moreover, Oliver clarified that it was the responsibility of WSC management to facilitate the submission of projects for cabinet approval, underscoring the inclusion of Value-Added Tax (VAT) within the $250,000 limit.
Gibson is accused of failing to declare his interest in lucrative contracts granted by WSC during his time as executive chairman. The Long Island MP is also accused of using funds from those contracts to purchase property and vehicles.
