Caption: Dr Tim Gopeesingh. Photo: Facebook

By Alicia Chamely

AUDITS into the North Central Regional Health Authority showed eight preferred companies received $1.22 billion in contracts, approximately $150 million each, over the last 10 years, says NCRHA Chairman Tim Gopeesingh.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday at the United National Congress (UNC) headquarters, Gopeesingh stated since assuming his position in August an ongoing audit revealed there was, “a sustained the collapse of governance over the last 10 years, a lack of accountability, financial fraud and mismanagement, widespread corruption, financial discipline had been abandoned.”

Gopeesingh said when he came in August it was discovered the NCRHA owed $321 million to 546 suppliers. He said since then, the board had managed to reduce the number of suppliers down to 120 and paid out $150 million in a three-month period.

Gopeesingh stated further audits showed, over the past ten years, the top 20 suppliers received $1.856 billion and a select eight suppliers receiving $1.22 billion.

He said, “Eight companies benefited to the tune of $1.22 billion over a ten-year period, approximately $150 million each.”

Gopeesingh, who did reveal the names of these companies due to the ongoing financial audit into the Authority’s finances, stated, “One company received $228 million in 10 years. Another, $224 million, another $150 million, another $144, a cleaning and maintenance company (received) $129 million, another security company (received) $124 million, another top company in Trinidad (received) $ 115 million, and another security company (received) $107 million.”

He stated these eight companies were the preferred companies by the executive management and former board, adding, “eight companies benefited immensely.”

Gopeesingh said the audit had revealed a number of irregularities and major corruption within the process of rewarding contracts to these preferred companies.

Discussing an unnamed cleaning company, he said the audit found no valid formal contracts between the NCRHA and external providers for cleaning services.

Gopeesingh said, “Suppliers have been continuously providing janitorial services on the month-to-month arrangements for several years without written approval. There was no evidence of board approvals for the provision of additional services by the external contractors beyond the original scope.”

“Over the past seven years, 2018 to 2024 total payments to one cleaning company exceeded $59 million for janitorial services,” He said, “While payments to another cleaning company exceeded $111 million. that cleaning company received timely payments, as opposed to other suppliers. The managing director of that cleaning company was also the managing director of another industrial supply company supplying equipment.”

Gopeesingh explained institutional failure was also responsible for these top eight companies being given contracts, noting the procurement department would give them the contract “because they are accustomed giving that one person and not wanting to do the work to analyse if there are other companies that will provide the same services.”

Gopeesingh said the board had moved to consolidate and review contracts and services ensuring the NCRHA’s budget does not simply go to paying for receivables but was also able to better address the needs of the nations healthcare centres.

“We commissioned internal reviews. We initiated forensic and compliance examinations. We examined contracts, payments and approval trails, we engaged auditors and technical experts, and within the last five months, the board has acted decisively in the context of what we met in terms of the financial quagmire and corruption,” Gopeesingh said.

He said, “We have stabilised finances, imposed strict expenditure controls, halted irregular practices, we reformed procurement, we strengthened governance and internal controls. “

He added, “These actions are already redirecting resources back to where they belong, patient care. This is not cosmetic reform, ladies and gentlemen, it is structural repair undertaken so that hospitals function better.”