Anguilla’s Deputy Governor, the Honourable Stanley Reid, stressed that fraud impacts institutions at the personal and organisational level and the Anguilla Public Service was no exception.

Mr. Reid addressing Public Servants. Others are Mr. Andrew Gumbs, Tameika Fleming, Carolyn Richardson and Mr. Andrew Arsenault

The leading Government Official said the financial loss and costs associated with fraud must not only be quantified in terms of the actual physical loss of an existing asset, but persons must be conscious that fraud results in the loss of potential business and development because reputable entities would hesitate to do business in a jurisdiction where fraud was accepted as the norm, and where efforts to prevent, investigate, and prosecute fraud were not performed.

Mr. Reid was at the time speaking to a large gathering of Civil Servants and persons from law enforcement and the private sector at the opening ceremony of a Fraud Awareness and Prevention Seminar.

Reid said there were other less obvious harms that “must also be guarded against” and insisted that Public Servants are stewards of the people who were entrusted with the management of the public purse. “This means that we must accept that our actions and omissions will be subject to public and media scrutiny. Evidence of fraud results on unwelcome publicity and media attention which translates into diminished community confidence in the Anguilla Public Service,” he commented.

The top public servant opined that everyone was conscious that, even without evidence of fraud, they were constantly battling to have the Anguillian community acknowledge the sterling contributions many have made through efforts to efficiently and effectively execute their duties. He said in the Anguilla Public Service the “primary concern is obviously fraud prevention. This does not mean that the need for effective investigation, reporting, and prosecution of fraud should be lost on us.” Reid added that it was realized that, with effective prevention, there would be less need for investigation, reporting and prosecution.
Reid cited the Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC 2002) which identifies a number of matters that should be addressed to promote the prevention of fraud. One such matter is the creation and publication of a code of conduct that is fully understood by all staff and provides guidance as to how they should conduct themselves in the workplace and while carrying out their duties.

The Deputy Governor also made mention of the Public Service Code of Ethics which was created through a consultative process and published in July 2007. Reference was further made of computer pop-ups which have been used to acquaint public officers with the provisions of the Code.

A section of the participants at the fraud seminar

Mr. Reid quoted from the Code of Ethics which requires public servants to administer public funds judiciously and effectively, and requires them to use resources only for the authorized public purposes for which they are intended. It also requires that official positions be not used to further private interests or the private interests of others. The Code further directs public servants to “disclose and take reasonable steps to avoid any conflict (or perceived conflict) of interest and not abuse our official position for personal gain.”

The Code of Ethics requires that public servants not accept personal gifts or hospitality or receive other benefits or inducements from anyone which might reasonably be seen to compromise or influence professional judgement of integrity.

The Fraud Awareness and Prevention Seminar was conducted by the Internal Audit Department in collaboration with the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Unit of the Royal Anguilla Police Force. The event was held in the morning of Tuesday May 19 at the Royal Anguilla Police Force Training Room. The main presenter was Head of the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Unit, Detective Andy Arsenault.

Mr. Arsenault was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for 30 years during which time he worked on and managed operational law enforcement units in Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. At the time of his retirement he was the Inspector in charge of the Proceeds of Crime Section in Halifax, a position which he held from 1994 to 1999.

After his retirement, Arsenault worked with the international accounting firm of KPMG as a senior manager with KPMG Security and Investigations Inc. and became Vice President of KPMG Forensic Inc in Atlantic, Canada. The decorated detective is also president of Arsenault Investigations and Security Inc.
Topics discussed at the seminar included what is fraud, who commits fraud, what are the symptoms of fraud and its impact on employees in the workplace, what are the types of fraud that commonly occur in government departments, how to identify risk areas or red flags inside government departments, internal control procedures that can eliminate many government frauds, procedures for reporting workplace fraud, and what should happen to restore employee trust within the workplace.

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