The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

PUBLIC Services Minister Brensil Rolle confirmed yesterday the government reached a settlement with former National Insurance Board Director Algernon Cargill over his firing from NIB under the former Christie administration.

Mr Rolle, who has NIB in his portfolio, refused to reveal the settlement value, but said from the government’s view it was a “fair” package.

However, he denied that Mr Cargill received $500,000 as has been reported in various forums.

“The NIB board did settle with Mr Cargill,” Mr Rolle told reporters yesterday following the morning session of Parliament. “He has separated from the board and the condition by which he separated we regard as fair and what I can tell you is it’s not $500,000 that was agreed to for separation.

“It has to do with the whole issue with how he was separated and we thought that we offered him a fair package and we both are satisfied that the separation was justified and we move on.”

He also said: “He had been agitating from he was fired by the PLP and we just determined that we wanted to have a clean separation and that’s what we did.

“He wasn’t attached to NIB, but there was exchanges between his lawyers and himself with NIB over that period. He was threatening legal action from day one and we determined that it was appropriate that we separate and after negotiations with him we agreed on a settlement and that’s it.”

In late 2012, the Christie administration launched a forensic investigation into allegations against then suspended NIB Director Algernon Cargill and fired NIB Chairman Gregory Moss. Mr Cargill was eventually dismissed.

However, the forensic audit did not confirm any wrongdoing and Mr Cargill’s action for a 2013 wrongful dismissal had gone before the courts.

Mr Moss had accused Mr Cargill of conflict of interest and abuse of millions of dollars of NIB funds. The PLP Board also accused Mr Cargill of being in conflict because he rented an apartment from his brother, Godwin Cargill, and further accused him of spending $240,000 on NIB’s credit card within a period of three years.

It was later revealed that the probe cost the government $861,606.

Although several accusations were made against Mr Moss and Mr Cargill, no one ever faced any charges in connection with the allegations.