By now, you would have read many comments pointing to the lapses found in various public agencies. And invariably the question is: So what is the big deal about the lapses in AHPeTC? Pot calling kettle black?
Even WP chairman Sylvia Lim, playing on the ignorance of people, said that lapses were also found in public agencies. She declared that they had been unfairly singled out.
Well, ignorance is not always bliss.
In all the lapses that occurred in public agencies that are highlighted by the AGO, NONE of the agencies had their financial statements qualified or declared unreliable or inaccurate.
In the case of AHPeTC, it's not about specific transactions where rules were not followed. It's about a BLANKET ASSESSMENT that the financial accounts cannot be relied upon at all. And THAT, we are sure everyone will agree, is VERY SERIOUS.
AHPeTC had qualified opinion on their financial statements not just once but for 3 consecutive years from their own external auditors. And the AGO Audit Report said that unless the weaknesses in AHPeTc are addressed, there can be:
1. No assurance that their financial statements are accurate and reliable;
2. No assurance that public monies are properly spent, accounted for and managed.
Here is another point to note. The lapses that occurred in AHPeTC involved key people of the Town Council including the chairman (Sylvia Lim ) and vice-chairman (Png Eng Huat) who co-signed cheques)
Before the 2011 GE, the Hougang SMC, a WP stronghold, had been already been running a deficit in its town council funds.
On the other hand, Aljunied GRC and Punggol East SMC, which were under the PAP, had healthy surpluses.
“Now the whole town council is in deficit. How did the large surplus turn into deficit? Where did the money go? There needs to be a certain transparency and accounting and a very fundamental setting right of the town council,” said Mr Teo Chee Hean.
#integrityfail #honestyfail
The Workers' Party will say the right things for your ears but their actions often speak differently.
You see this in the AGO's audit of the financial statements of their town council.
When Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam directed the AGO to do an audit of AHPETC's accounts, Sylvia Lim assured the AGO of their full cooperation.
What really happened in the process? Well, you read it right from the AGO's report.
Non-cooperation.
Failure to provide all requested documents and information.
AGO made repeated requests for the information but "notwithstanding numerous requests and reminders, AHPETC did not provide a number of the requested documents."
As a result, the AGO had to issue a formal letter to the chairman (Sylvia Lim) of AHPETC to provide the necessary information to the AGO and PwC.
Even then, the AGO noted that a significant number of the documents were not provided.
Just how lacking in integrity and honesty is WP? You hear it right from the high court judge.
High Court Judge Quentin Loh used this Latin phrase to describe Sylvia Lim's statement to parliament on 12 Feb 2015 on the transfers of money to sinking fund.
"Suppressio veri suggestio falsi"
It means:
- Suppression of the truth is equivalent to the suggestion of what is false.
Suppression of the truth = concealment of the truth.
USLegal.com describes suppressio veri as A TYPE OF FRAUD and suggestio falsi as AMOUNTING TO FRAUD.
It's not a light matter to be describe thus by a high court judge.
It shows a complete lack of responsibility and accountability when WP tried to shift the blame for their incompetency to the previous managing agent. It is dishonest as well.
AHPETC falsely claimed that they could not obtain some supporting documents from the previous managing agent (CPG) in order to push blame of their own incompetence and irresponsibility to CPG.
The TRUTH? CPG had handed in all the documents to them but they did not have a proper procedure to ensure that the documents they had taken over were safeguarded.
[1.9 The evidence gathered by AGO indicates that certain documents were handed over by CPGFM. AHPETC informed AGO that it had carried out extensive search to locate the documents which AGO requested for and was not able to find the documents other than those that had been provided to AGO. ]
Read the AGO Report for yourselves --http://bit.ly/1NkPwSQ
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