Chronicle’s Chairperson, several members resign -after PM instructs Board to rehire GM who was sacked

Jun 05, 2019 News

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The state-owned Guyana Chronicle was yesterday rocked by several resignations from Board members, including its Chairperson, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, after they had received instructions that former General Manager, Sherod Duncan, who was sacked in April, must

be rehired.
The exchanges of the correspondence between the Board Chair and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who the instructions came from, have become a public spat, with reports that a number of staff members are also threatening to resign.
The matter is also spilling over to the political arena, as the three Board members who remained are said to be closely affiliated to Nagamootoo’s party, the Alliance For Change (AFC), while the other three and Chandan-Edmond are not.
In a letter dated May 31 from Nagamootoo to Chandan-Edmond, the Chairperson was accused of deliberately misleading the PM’s office that the decision to sack Duncan came from a vote of the Board.
However, in insisting that the proper procedures were followed in terminating the services of Duncan, Chandan-Edmond, a lawyer and former magistrate, in her strongly-worded response, made it clear in noting that her professionalism and that of her Board were being questioned.
“In light of this, I hereby submit my resignation as Chairman of the Board of Directors, with immediate effect, since I believe I cannot continue to act at the level of ethics that you clearly require of the position.”
Chandan-Edmond, whose husband Joel Edmond is an executive member of Nagamootoo’s party, the AFC, happens to also be a legal advisor in the Ministry of the Presidency. Her office is a stone’s throw from the PM’s.
Reportedly resigning with the Chairperson were Board members, Mervyn Williams, a government parliamentarian, Hilbert Foster and Aaron Fraser. The three Directors who reportedly did not resign are Juaretha Fernandes, Karamchand and Beverley Alert.
Duncan, an AFC official, had his services terminated on April 2 by the Board after what they said was a vote. There was a tie – three persons voted in favour while three others were against.
The deciding vote to send him home was cast by Chandan-Edmond.
NO VOTE
In his letter to the Chairperson, instructing that the decision be rescinded, Nagamootoo said he “received information” from Directors of GNNL that there was no vote put to the meeting by the Chairperson, and any statement to the contrary is wholly false. He did not name the Board members who told him so.
“What now remains is a glaring question of procedural irregularity in arriving at the decision to terminate Mr. Duncan. It should be made clear that asking members of the Board their views does not amount to a vote.”
According to the PM, making a unilateral decision to terminate Duncan was “arbitrary, capricious, unlawful and in excess of the jurisdiction” of the Board.
“Further, I am concerned that you have misled the Office of the Prime Minister with the erroneous claim that the Board of Directors came to this decision. It is clear that you deliberately sought to terminate Mr. Duncan without following prescribed procedures and further, misleading this office. In the premises, I cannot rely on your advice that termination of the service of Mr. Duncan accords with the due process and procedural fairness, and instruct that that decision be rescinded.”
PROCEDURES FOLLOWED
However, Chandan-Edmond in her resignation letter made it clear that all the relevant provisions, more so the provisions of Article 94, were adhered to at all times in spirit and letter throughout the process that led to Duncan’s termination.
“On the special statutory meeting, which was held on the 2nd day of April 2019, following a call of vote on the matter of termination of services, three directors voted against termination of services and three directors in favour of termination.”
The Chairperson said she exercised her right to execute a casting vote to send Duncan home. Chandan-Edmond, in her letter to the PM, said that unnamed Directors and their “hearsay” were used to discredit a transparent process.
“I respectfully submit that we cannot effect policy decision at this institution of national consequence on such an inconsequential basis.”
It was noted that “Minutes of the Board meeting” regarding Duncan’s matter was submitted as evidence.
She reminded that Duncan was accused in the media of financial impropriety and mismanagement among other allegations.
“The information unearthed by a Board investigation warranted the involvement of the office of the Auditor General. Mr. Duncan was sent on administrative leave to facilitate the audit during which time he was paid in full.”
She also pointed out that the report from the State Auditor found multiple violations of financial procedure and questionable transactions, as were documented in a report to the Board.
An audit company, Chateram Ramdihal Chartered Accountants, had been retained to perform an audit of the Chronicle from June 1, 2018, to September 10, 2018. The audit reportedly found tender procedures not followed and that questionable payments were made.
“Mr. Duncan was afforded all the tenets of natural justice including a Board hearing during which he was allowed to be accompanied by an Attorney-at-law, Chandan-Edmond said.
Duncan had been appointed General Manager of the newspaper from June 1, 2018 for a probationary period of six months.

 

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