Finance Minister Imbert Denies Claims of Missing Money

March 6, 2025 – Finance Minister Colm Imbert has denied claims of missing money, calling the accusations “fabricated” by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Imbert responded after Persad-Bissessar urged Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley to launch an independent investigation into Imbert’s conduct regarding alleged “missing billions” of taxpayer funds.

Imbert explained that no money is missing in the 2023 public accounts, pointing out that the financial statements, including the Treasury’s position and accounts of individual officers, are certified by three Ministry officials. He also clarified that a software error at the Central Bank caused an accounting mistake discovered by the Budget Division, not the Auditor General’s office. Imbert criticised Persad-Bissessar for misunderstanding the process and accused her of attempting to mislead the public with baseless claims.