A forensic audit has found that it was “inconsistent with best practices” for suspended National Insurance Board (NIB) Director Algernon Cargill to be involved in tailoring a suspended employee’s apology letter to him.
Last November, now fired NIB Chairman Gregory Moss and NIB’s Board wrote a letter to Prime Minister Perry Christie explaining that Mr. Cargill had victimised NIB IT Security Officer Sean Moss after he accused the director of being in an “adulterous relationship” with his wife.
At the time the chairman alleged that Mr. Cargill forced Mr. Moss to write a letter exonerating him, suspended him and then turned around and used NIB funds to pay for his legal defence against the staff member.
According to Grant Thornton (Bahamas), which conducted the audit, Mr. Moss was instructed to write an apology letter to Mr. Cargill. He was assisted by Darrin Culmer, NIB’s industrial relations officer.
According to the audit, which The Bahama Journal obtained, Mr. Culmer indicated that the only reason he assisted Mr. Moss was because Mr. Moss had been locked out of the computer system.
“Mr. Culmer did indicate that after the letter was presented to Mr. Cargill, he was not happy with the wording and the letter was amended by Mr. Cargill prior to it being signed by Mr. Moss. Mr. Culmer noted that he did not see any pressure being placed on Mr. Moss to write or sign the letter,” the report said.
“It was inconsistent with best practices for Mr. Cargill to sit in on the February 1, 2012 meeting on a matter that allegedly involved him. We were unable to interview Mr. Cargill on these findings after repeated attempts to do so.”
The report continued, “It was inconsistent with best practices for Mr. Cargill to be involved in the tailoring of the February 1 letter.”
Auditors found that Mr. Moss applied to the Supreme Court to amend his divorce petition to remove all allegations he had made against Mr. Cargill.
He paid his attorneys $2,000 to amend the petition.
The audit also said “no support was found to conclude that Mr. Algernon Cargill was part of the reason Mr. Moss separated from his wife in June of 2010.”
“Mrs. Moss claimed that Mr. Moss left her for another woman and is currently living with this woman,” the report said.
Despite allegations that NIB paid Bostwick & Bostwick law firm $7,500 of NIB funds to represent Mr. Cargill, auditors say they found no evidence to support the claim.
“The bill of Bostwick & Bostwick indicated that the $7,500 retainer was for ‘representation of the National Insurance Board on HR matters concerning the allegations of victimisation.’ Mr. Cargill’s name is not mentioned,” the report said.
