Moss link to $42,000 claim

A SENIOR National Insurance Board executive refuted Gregory Moss’s denial of claims that he sought to push a $42,000 energy audit contract to a firm owned by one of his business partners.

The Grant Thornton report into claims levelled against Mr Moss by now-terminated NIB director Algernon Cargill suggests there may be some truth to the latter’s allegation that the former chairman tried to steer work to Earth and Sun Energy Company.

That firm is owned by Gregory Smith, a Grand Bahama-based former insurance executive with Star General Insurance Company, and a fellow shareholder with Mr Moss in the Siboney Commercial Centre complex in Freeport.

Mr Moss, in a February 7, 2013, interview at Grant Thornton’s office, admitted that he held a 49.5 per cent equity stake in Siboney’s holding company, with Mr Smith owning a one per cent stake.

But he vehemently denied Mr Cargill’s claim that, in his capacity as NIB chairman, he issued a directive to pay Earth and Sun Energy Company $42,000 for an energy audit of NIB’s properties, describing this as “an absolute lie and it was never done.”

However, that statement is directly contradicted by Mrs Cecile Bethel, who was then Mr Cargill’s second-in-command, and is now NIB’s acting director.

In a written response to Grant Thornton, Mrs Bethel said: “Chairman Moss requested that the proposal from Earth and Sun Energy Ltd be reviewed, and NIB should seek to engage their services.

“The proposal requested up-front payment in full of $42,000, which was the initial impediment to NIB doing business with the company, as it was explained that this type of arrangement is not the norm. In this regard, it was suggested that Earth and Sun be so advised. It was later indicated that similar studies were known to cost less and, in some cases, to be offered free of charge.”

The phrase “NIB should seek to engage their services” strongly suggests that Mr Moss, a backbench PLP MP, was pushing for Earth and Energy to get the NIB audit contract.

Yet, strangely, Grant Thornton appears to have ignored the implications of Mrs Bethel’s statement, satisfying itself that Mr Smith and his company ultimately performed no work for NIB.

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Comments

mynameis says...

The more that I read, if true, makes me wonder about the professionalism of Grant Thornton.

Posted 21 May 2013, 12:14 p.m. Suggest removal

concernedcitizen says...

i wonder how Grant Thornton principals feel about employees selling their integrity

Posted 21 May 2013, 12:19 p.m. Suggest removal

jackflash says...

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

Posted 21 May 2013, 12:40 p.m.

concernedcitizen says...

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

Posted 21 May 2013, 12:50 p.m.

proudloudandfnm says...

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Posted 21 May 2013, 1:20 p.m.

jackflash says...

What a mess this is turning into.

I wonder if they wish they had not of started this audit to begin with?

Posted 21 May 2013, 1:54 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

You'd have to be in their shoes to know for sure, they may simply not care. The speed at which they did all this stuff says to me they were not certain about a 2nd term and are trying to make as much as possible in this one. This is just one organization and we only *accidentally* found out about it...

They have to appoint a new director, who will they chose and what level of professionalism and fiduciary responsibility will he/she exhibit...

2nd question what will their salary and bonuses look like...

Posted 22 May 2013, 8:01 a.m. Suggest removal

crabman says...

wacha do in da night gon come out in da day just like cockroahes run from da lite

Posted 21 May 2013, 9:41 p.m. Suggest removal

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