Moniz: ‘There is no point to having rules if you do not enforce them’

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The Opposition seized upon the Kyril Burrows case as an example of why it feels new good governance legislation is an empty gesture.

Trevor Moniz, Shadow Attorney General, said the recent fraud case showed that there is no point in such legislation unless the rules are enforced.

Burrows was convicted at Supreme Court earlier this month, together with his wife, of defrauding the Government of almost $543,000 in a fraud that spanned several years.

The trial heard how he abused his position as buildings manager at the Ministry of Works and Engineering to commit the crime.

He’d been caught abusing his Government credit card for personal spending around the time the fraud began seven years ago, but was not fired or charged with any offence.

Meanwhile, colleagues of Burrows who continue to work for the Ministry told his trial that they had signed off on payments for him without inquiring what they were for.

Auditor General Heather Matthews later told this newspaper that Burrows should have been dismissed when the credit card abuse was discovered, and the case demonstrated a “reluctance to hold civil servants accountable” to financial rules.

On Friday, Premier Paula Cox tabled good governance legislation which introduced tough penalties for contractors and public officers found abusing their positions for gain.

Mr Moniz responded by issuing a statement in which he welcomed efforts to end abuses that have harmed the Island’s reputation. However, he noted Mrs Matthews’ comments about the Burrows case.

“If the Premier is truly committed to separating herself from her own government’s record, then she needs to change her own ways.

“As Mrs Matthews observed, the Premier already had the power as Finance Minister to bring charges against public officials responsible for improper use of public money,” said Mr Moniz.

“In short, there is no point to having rules if you do not enforce them.”

He said in his view: “The Premier can pass all the legislation she wants. But until she and her Government get serious about stopping financial misconduct, it will continue.

“At the end of the day, good governance comes down to people — people obeying the rules and people enforcing the rules. It’s about leadership and ethics. That’s the glue that will ensure the public interest and the public purse is protected at all times.”

Useful websites: www.parliament.bm, www.oba.bm

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