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Local Government assessing Town Clerk’s response to fraud accusations

Jun 30, 2012 News

The Ministry of Local Government said that it is currently at an assessment stage as it relates to the recent discoveries of fraud within the Mayor and City Council.
The Minister, Ganga Persaud, said that there must be a comparison between the findings of the recently concluded investigation to the Town Clerk’s response before any further actions can be taken.
Recently, an investigative team headed by Keith Burrowes discovered that the Council is indebted to the tune of more than $1B including an over draft from an unauthorized loan. Ramon Gaskin spent three months on a subsequent investigation.
A copy of the findings was sent to the municipal officers and an “informed response” was requested by the Ministry. The response was submitted to the Ministry on June 20.
On June 18, the Council held a meeting and voted for three officials — the Town Clerk, Treasurer and City Engineer –to be sent on vacation leave to facilitate a thorough in-house investigation.
The Council wrote the Minister of Local Government, Ganga Persaud, seeking his approval. However, during the recent statutory meeting the council expressed disappointment in that Persaud hadn’t responded to its request. At the meeting only one of the three officials against which the allegation were made was present.
Yesterday, Persaud said that his Ministry has not yet responded to the request of the council simply because it is currently at the analysis stage of the M&CC fraud saga.
Persaud said that his team is comparing Gaskin’s findings to the Town Clerk’s response. “After that, we will make a decision as to what is the next step…whether or not anyone will be sent home,” said Persaud.
He said that the Ministry seeks to follow the “natural justice” procedure.
Mayor Hamilton Green previously voiced concern at being left out of the communication system between the Ministry and M&CC.
Green said, “They leave me completely out.” He said that the protocol is for the Minister to correspond with the Mayor and the Permanent Secretary with the Town Clerk. However, over the past few years, this has not been the trend.
Yesterday, Persaud did not deny the allegation; however, he said that he is unaware of such protocol cited by the Mayor. He said that what he normally does is speak to the Town Clerk relating to matters arising from an administrative aspect and to the Mayor for Policy matters.
He said that the law does not speak to the Permanent Secretary but the Minister. However he can instruct the Permanent Secretary to correspond with which ever officer he wishes.

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