I spend a lot of time criticizing the ever dwindling Welsh press, but they can occasionally make a useful contribution to public life by exposing the rampant cronyism, nepotism and fraud that exists in Wales and so often goes unchecked and unreported unlike the Walesonline report which highlights some serious financial irregularities at the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association by its Chief Executive Nas Malik among other things.
The article states he used public money to pay off his credit card, he paid a life insurance policy in his wife’s name and employing his daughter and other family members and paid them substantial salaries.
The article goes on to say Nas Malik has been accused of bullying, intimidation and sexual harassment and increasing his own salary and benefit package without any openness or transparency and more in an internal AWEMA report which concluded with legal advice there was enough evidence of financial foul play to pass the details to South Wales police’s economic crime Unit.
Lib Dems AM Peter Black has apparently asked the Welsh Auditor General to look into the financial irregularities and let’s hope the Opposition doesn’t let Labour off the hook on this and allow them to sweep this under the carpet as usual.
As for Carwyn and his Government what have they got to say on this matter and more importantly what are they gonna do about this seen as Mr Malik is a Labour Party member and is also damaging the reputation of Welsh charities and third sector organizations who are actually doing vital work in these recessionary times.
There’s more from Valleys Mam and Jac o North
3 comments:
the whole article makes very uncomfortable reading but this is the most disturbing bit
'The Western Mail has also seen solicitors’ advice to the trustees which agreed that there appeared to be sufficient evidence within Dr Dunn’s report to support an allegation of gross misconduct against Naz Malik. The solicitors advised Awema’s trustees to report the matter to South Wales Police economic crime unit and to the Charity Commission as a serious incident.'
Why is the man still in post for Christ sake?
good on you for picking this up CoP and blogging on it, I wrote on Valleys Mam's blog how surprised i was that so few bloggers had picked up on the significance of this.
The powers that be need to get to the bottom of this sorry saga.
its not just BBC Wales and ITV Wales ignoring this, the Western Mail has gone quiet on the whole sordid affair since the article was published as well.
The story has moved on, yet we haven't had anything official from Peter Black or the Audit Office to say the claims are being investigated and shouldn't a journalist be asking the Labour Party and First Minster for comments?
Are the Welsh media really that spineless and easy to intimidate or are they simply too close to the Welsh establishment to be objective and speak truth to power, this is a case of fraud with public money it has nothing to do with race or ethnicity.
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