Mr. Lucas has abused his authority at GRA

Jul 09, 2016 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
In this period of economic downturn being experienced by Guyana and low revenue collection as being persistently publicised by Rawle Lucas, Chairman of GRA’s Governing Board, I was flabbergasted to learn of the reported benefits enjoyed by Mr. Lucas.
He is assigned a GRA vehicle for his personal and professional use. The vehicle is with Mr. Lucas on a 24-hour basis and all fuel, maintenance and repairs are paid for by the Facilities Management Unit of the GRA.
Mr. Lucas’s position as Chairman of GRA’s Governing Board is non-executive, and therefore he is not authorized to make decisions without consultation and approval of the majority of the Board Members.
Decisions such as the recent appointment of Ms. Hema Khan as Deputy Commissioner-General and Mr. Lancelot Wills as the Deputy Commissioner Customs Excise and Trade Operations, were all reportedly done solely by Mr. Lucas, and not the Board. He is only required to be present at GRA once per month and is paid a stipend for his travel or taxi. Despite a vehicle being assigned him, his personal assistant, Ms. Alfred, is reportedly using a vehicle from GRA to carry out her activities.
Mr. Lucas, from indications, had GRA pay to carpet his office at Critchlow Labour College, purchase a sofa set, filing cabinets, refrigerator and computer for his personal use.
It should be noted that Mr. Lucas is also employed at Critchlow Labour College, University of Guyana and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also receives a steady supply of stationery and drinking water from the GRA. It should be misfeasance in public office for him to demand so much from GRA.
To reinforce his recent public admission that he distrusts GRA employees, the Chairman reportedly transferred the clerk assigned to the Corporate Secretary and replaced her with another one. The transferred clerk had been with the Corporate Secretary for three years.
The woman he employs as his Personal Assistant is his student at the University of Guyana. This is a major conflict of interest and should be noted by the University of Guyana.
Mr. Lucas has made it public knowledge that he does not trust the staff of GRA, so he has to employ his trusted people to work with him. No other Chairman of GRA has ever asked for or gotten these benefits. These all add up to an abuse of power and a misuse of authority, no wonder the revenue collection at GRA is at an all time low – it is the attitude.
Mr. Lucas’s action of selective dismissal of employees of the GRA has resulted in a marked decrease in employees’ morale and is even seen in some quarters as prejudiced.
Name Withheld

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