FINANCE Minister Vishnu Dhanpaul firmly denied anyone had stolen $2.6 billion that was mentioned in the Public Accounts of TT, saying the matter was simply "a technical glitch caused by a software issue at the Central Bank."
He spoke at a PNM rally in St Joseph on April 22 where he said he had been permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance and previously worked with an array of former finance ministers in UNC governments including Brian Kuei Tung and Larry Howai.
"Don't let anybody tell you Tom Cruise rode off with $2.6 billion. It is impossible to steal $2.6 billion or $2," Dhanpaul said.
He explained that the Treasury simply does not have any vault containing $2.6 billion for anyone to walk in and steal but simply keeps a small float of money.
"It makes really good reading on social media (but) there is no $2.6 billion missing. No one can simply walk into the Treasury in dark shades and a hat and walk out with $2.6 billion, the way the financial system works."
He said no finance minister has control over the details put into the Public Accounts documents, which he said, was signed off only by the permanent secretary, the comptroller of accounts, the treasury director and the auditor general.
"Tom Cruise was not here. The money was not wired to Panama. The banking system is highly connected (so) it cannot happen. I hope I put to rest a lot of the nonsense and issues that have been circulating in the media and social media."
