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Financial irregularities continue at City Hall – Finance Chairman
Finance Committee Chairman, Junior Garrett
Even as ranks of the Guyana Police Force are investigating fraud allegations at City Hall, financial irregularities continue to overshadow the body’s operations, says Finance Committee Chairman, Junior Garrett.
The investigations began at the behest of the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, following revelations of massive irregularities at City Hall compiled in a report prepared by Ramon Gaskin.
Three senior officers—Town Clerk Yonette Pluck, Treasurer Andrew Meredith and City Engineer Gregory Erskine— were mired in fraud allegations. The report also pointed to misuse of resources by Mayor Hamilton Green.
According to Garrett, the police commenced their investigations last Monday, but blatant breaches of the laws governing City Hall’s operations persist. For instance, the law provides that vouchers must be signed by two members of the Finance Committee before cheques are prepared, but this procedure is being ignored.
These cheques and vouchers are prepared and verified by the City Treasurer’s Department, headed by Meredith and Pluck.
Garrett said that the presence of these officers at City Hall and the continuity of malpractices have decreased staff morale. He pointed out that it would have been appropriate if the officers were sent on their vacation leave and the laws governing financial procedures are obeyed.
“The mere fact that the Minister chose to call in the police to investigate the matter shows that the report reveals criminal element. But, he (Persaud) did not send the officers on leave to facilitate the investigations,” Garrett said.
Though Councillors have the authority to send the officers on vacation leave, they were hoping that Persaud would have taken that decision. Councillors made a public outcry of the Minister’s decision but were grateful that the police are investigating the matter.
According to the Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, he is unable to say whether the officers should be sent on leave to facilitate the investigations, since he is not in receipt of the report.
It is not unusual in some cases for officers under investigation to remain on duty while the inquiry is ongoing because they are answerable. He opined that they should be removed from their desks for an impartial investigation.
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