Varshnie Uma Jagdeo made the claims during a media briefing at the law offices of Port of Spain Attorney Odai Ramischand, and referred to several documents, which now form part of a civil lawsuit.

She said that while a lawsuit filed by the institution was settled after the Guyana Government tried to protect the country from embarrassment, she was willing to defend a second one filed by a doctor who was claiming thousands of dollars for his services.

She claimed the services cited by the doctor were already paid for in the first lawsuit.

Ms. Jagdeo, the founder and patron of the charity organization, Kids First Fund, which was set up in Guyana to assist needy children afflicted with medical ailments, said it was very difficult to raise funds and it was worse to have to use those funds to pay bills not incurred by the organization.

Attorney Ramischand said he intended to hand over a copy of the file to the Fraud Squad early this week and request a criminal investigation into the alleged discrepancies and duplication of charges for the services rendered in 2001.