( L - R ) Wehby, Rousseau

THE ENTIRE BOARD of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) has been asked to resign, high-level government sources told The Gleaner yesterday.

But Don Wehby, minister with-out portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, who has responsibility for CTL, would not confirm that he has sent the Pat Rousseau-led board packing.

However, Wehby has indicated that bodies under his oversight will be subject to the highest principles of governance.

"When it comes to corporate governance of any statutory body, I have a zero-tolerance approach," the minister said.

Yesterday the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) called for the dismissal of the CTL board.

No other recourse

"Having reviewed the Special Report from the Office of the Contractor General regarding the investigations into the allegations of irregularity surrounding negotiations and proposals for the supply of satellite services for simulcast racing from South Africa and the United Kingdom to Caymanas Track Limited - the Opposition has no other recourse than to request that the portfolio minister fires the entire board," read a statement from PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill.

Contractor General Greg Christie said Rousseau had breached certain laws, including the Corruption Prevention Act, in his role as chairman of CTL. Christie also said that the members of the board were negligent in the discharge of their duties.

The issue involved the award of a contract to SportsMax to supply satellite services for simulcast racing from South Africa and the United Kingdom to Caymanas Park.

Rousseau is chairman of CTL but he is also a director of SportsMax and International Media Corporation (IMC), which owns 50 per cent of SportsMax.

In his report, Christie said: "... Mr Rousseau, while actively holding the position of chairman of CTL, SportsMax and IMC boards, has improperly carried on negotiations with representatives of Phumelela Gold International (PGI) and has passed information in his capacity as chairman of CTL to Oliver McIntosh, the CEO and president of SportsMax and IMC, with a view to a benefit accruing to SportsMax and/or IMC."

The contractor general said that Rousseau declared his interest in SportsMax to the CTL board but failed to declare his interest in IMC.

Negligently

The contractor general reported that CTL board or some members of the board "acted negligently in the discharge of their responsibilities as CTL directors and/or abused their authorities and offices as directors of CTL and/or breached their respective duties of trust and the company and/or breached their respective fiduciary or statutory duties to the company".

On Wednesday, Rousseau told The Gleaner that he will not comment on the contractor general's report until he has read it. "I have seen but I have not read it, so I can't comment, but do anything you want to do. Don't ask me anything. I have not read it and I will read it in due course," Rousseau said.