Acting Comptroller to Remain in Post Following Boddu’s Resignation amid Procurement Probe
The government has confirmed that the officer who had been acting as Comptroller of Customs during Raju Boddu’s medical leave will continue in that position following his resignation. However, the individual was not named during Friday’s post-Cabinet press briefing.
Cabinet spokesperson Maurice Merchant said Mr. Boddu’s resignation is “believed to be somewhat connected to the collection of duties and taxes by the government of Antigua and Barbuda.” He explained that the unnamed acting officer “will continue to act until someone is found to be appointed as the Comptroller of Customs.”
The announcement follows the revelation of procurement irregularities involving the purchase of several high-end vehicles without Cabinet authorization. The Prime Minister previously described the situation as one of “willful neglect” and ordered a full audit of all government-owned vehicles to determine whether duties and taxes were properly collected.
Merchant added that the Ministry of Finance, through the Financial Secretary, has been directed to meet with vehicle dealers to identify any irregularities and recover potential revenue losses.
He also stated that, at this stage, there is no evidence that any public official personally benefited from the transactions, but investigations are ongoing.
The probe has prompted plans for wider staff rotations and tighter oversight across the public service to improve transparency and accountability.
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This needs more than just a probe. Clearly the scale and magnitude of this scandal and its financial implications in terms of lost revenue warrants a broad forensic investigation. Allegedly, indications point to Customs, Car Dealers, State Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Transport Board personnel and many others involvement in this scheme to deprive the government of its rightful revenue. Government cannot be seen to be shielding anyone when it comes to our tax revenue. There must be accountability and openness if we are to go forward and ensure that nothing like this repeats itself. Again, let the chips fall where they may and anyone caught up in this scandal should be given their walking ticket.