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REO wins court battle against Region Four Chairman

Feb 11, 2010 News

– Corlette to pay $25,000 cost

With all the controversy surrounding him, Regional Executive Officer of the Regional Democratic Council Region Four, Shafdar Alli, won a small battle against Chairman Clement Corlette when High Court Judge Roxanne George Wiltshire dismissed a case brought by the Regional Chairman.
The matter was dismissed on Tuesday and the judge ordered that Corlette pay cost of $25,000 to the Regional Executive Officer.
Corlette, through attorney at law Michael Somersaul, had moved to the court to quash the decisions made by the REO without the lawful authority of the Regional Chairman and the Council, since the decisions made were ultra vires, void and of no legal effect.
Corlette also claimed that the REO’s decisions were made unlawfully, unfairly, unreasonable and in excess of jurisdiction.
He had also sought a prohibition order directed to the REO from acting, executing and or taking any steps to execute projects and awarding contracts without the lawful authority of the Regional Chairman of the Council.
After listening to arguments from attorneys on both sides, Somersaul for the Regional Chairman and Ashton Chase for the REO, justice Wiltshire dismissed the matter and ordered Corlette to pay Alli $25,000 for damages.
According to a letter signed by Regional Information Officer, Rajiv Bisnauth, the court matter was the latest salvo in an ongoing battle of dictatorship being displayed by the Regional Chairman.
This newspaper had previously reported that the Auditor General’s office has launched enquiries into the financial management of the Region Four Democratic Council.
This followed a letter from Regional Chairman, who had expressed serious concerns over the financial handling of matters of the Regional Administration with specific regards to the actions of the Regional Executive Officer (REO), who is presently on leave. Kaieteur News understands that the REO had spent $12.7M in works that he alleged was done but never declared it to the Council’s works committee.
The committee had complained that it was given the contracts after the works were already done, which is in complete violation of the statutory procedure.
A source associated with the Region Four Democratic Council had told this newspaper that the REO had refused to comply with the instructions of the body.
Questions are being asked about the expenditure of $4M which was approved for the provision of equipment and furniture for the regional office.
Another bone of contention is the execution of works under the Council’s Capital budget.
According to a source, the Region Four Administration had approved road works for last year to the tune of $32.5M.
However the REO, reportedly only effected $9M in works under the approved package while the remainder of the money was spent on works not approved by the RDC.
Kaieteur News understands that the official did not inform the Regional Administration when he went to the Tender Board to have the works awarded to contractors.
The Region subsequently expressed its concern over the awarding of $79M in contracts to one contractor.
Another contractor, singlehandedly, was awarded $74M in additional contracts, while $24M in contracts for the supply of material and refreshments was awarded to a single contractor, when the Region has a canteen that could have supplied some of the items.
“These contracts are being awarded to a handful of people and the tender process appears to be compromised,” a source stated.

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