No tricks, heads should roll in Finance
Mar 09, 2003
SIR—In your editorial of March 4, you suggested that finance ministers should be censured if Government loses the $40m (sh70bn) that ULC is demanding.
SIR—In your editorial of March 4, you suggested that finance ministers should be censured if Government loses the $40m (sh70bn) that ULC is demanding.
I think that would be too lenient, given the magnitude of the possible crime that could have been committed. We do not have to wait for either Government to lose the money, or avoid losing it by allowing ULC to operate under a controversial licence.
No matter the outcome of the possible court action or out of court settlement of this matter, one thing that is very clear is that some people in the ministry of finance got involved in something crafty that has rendered their credibility questionable. Their behaviour has also left the Government image tarnished.
If the people who were in charge could not ensure the safe custody of the document in question and want us to believe that such an important document was stolen from them, then how can we entrust them with other more sensitive things they are supposed to be in charge of, including our money?
As the mystery unfolds about what exactly happened, and the less costly ways of settling the dispute , the IGG and other investigative machinery should swing into action and whoever is implicated should be punished accordingly.
It amounts to double standards when we have some people sent to Luzira over a few million shillings, yet keep playing hide and seek with another group that have not only abused their offices and positions but are on the verge of setting an all-time record loss to government.
We expect the law to be equally applied for all Ugandans and i see no reason why it should not take its full course in this kind of situation.
Denis Byamukama
Vienna, Austria
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SIR— The matter of the so-called stolen licence by the Uganda Lottery Company is a very serious one. Did the beneficiaries break into the Ministry of Finance cabinets to steal the licence?
How come the licence was signed at all? There are more questions than answers in this matter. I do not know about the integrity of the people concerned but what is obvious is that the so-called theft was an inside job if it did take place.
ULC wants $40m in damages and compensation.
If they sue the government successfully, where is all that money going to come from? Ugandans are already weary of taxes. Those responsible should take personal responsibility and pay from their own resources.
Paul Ogwang
Masindi
I think that would be too lenient, given the magnitude of the possible crime that could have been committed. We do not have to wait for either Government to lose the money, or avoid losing it by allowing ULC to operate under a controversial licence.
No matter the outcome of the possible court action or out of court settlement of this matter, one thing that is very clear is that some people in the ministry of finance got involved in something crafty that has rendered their credibility questionable. Their behaviour has also left the Government image tarnished.
If the people who were in charge could not ensure the safe custody of the document in question and want us to believe that such an important document was stolen from them, then how can we entrust them with other more sensitive things they are supposed to be in charge of, including our money?
As the mystery unfolds about what exactly happened, and the less costly ways of settling the dispute , the IGG and other investigative machinery should swing into action and whoever is implicated should be punished accordingly.
It amounts to double standards when we have some people sent to Luzira over a few million shillings, yet keep playing hide and seek with another group that have not only abused their offices and positions but are on the verge of setting an all-time record loss to government.
We expect the law to be equally applied for all Ugandans and i see no reason why it should not take its full course in this kind of situation.
Denis Byamukama
Vienna, Austria
*******
SIR— The matter of the so-called stolen licence by the Uganda Lottery Company is a very serious one. Did the beneficiaries break into the Ministry of Finance cabinets to steal the licence?
How come the licence was signed at all? There are more questions than answers in this matter. I do not know about the integrity of the people concerned but what is obvious is that the so-called theft was an inside job if it did take place.
ULC wants $40m in damages and compensation.
If they sue the government successfully, where is all that money going to come from? Ugandans are already weary of taxes. Those responsible should take personal responsibility and pay from their own resources.
Paul Ogwang
Masindi