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Disciplinary action recommended for city officials after cash found in Chief Constable’s vehicle
The Local Government Commission, (LGC) has recommended disciplinary action for several officers of the Georgetown municipality over a matter involving monies belonging to the Council.
Chief Constable Andrew Foo
The recommendations come weeks after a bag of cash was found in the vehicle assigned to the Chief Constable, Andrew Foo.
The monies were supposed to be deposited in the bank on behalf of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on June 20.
Reports indicated, however, that weeks later a staff of the council found the bag of cash bearing the M&CC seal in the vehicle of the Chief Constable. A complaint was lodged at the LGC and an investigation was subsequently launched.
During the investigations, the Commission found that the officers had breached the standard operating procedure.
This week, officials attached the Commission confirmed that investigations have been completed and recommendations have been made for at least eight officers attached to the council to be disciplined.
Among the officers found culpable for the dislocated bag of cash are Town Clerk Sharon Harry –Munroe who is currently on administrative leave, City Treasurer– John Douglas, Clerk of Markets Sherlock Lovell, and a sergeant of city constabulary responsible for escorting officers with the money to the bank.
The officers have all been asked to write to the Commission to show cause why they should not be disciplined.
Meanwhile no action was recommended for the Chief Constable since he did not handle the money. Last month, Foo issued a statement refuting reports, which suggested that he was involved in the matter.
In a letter to the editor, Foo explained that as Chief Constable, he is in no way responsible for the collection or depositing of monies into the Bank on the behalf of Council or the custodian of bank deposit bags or its keys.
Foo noted that his department (the Constabulary), provides a service to the City Treasury and Markets’ Department on a daily basis relating to the escorting of designated cashiers of the departments mentioned and their cash, using a vehicle of the City Constabulary assigned to the Regent Street Outpost.
“As a consequence of the vehicle assigned to escort duties being out of order on the 17th June, 2019, because of defective tyres, a request was made by the Town Clerk (ag) for the vehicle assigned to me to assist in the transporting of Council’s cash.”
He said that the vehicle was therefore used on several occasions for the transporting of the cashiers of the departments mentioned above and their armed escorts.
This movement continued until the said vehicle was also grounded for defective tyres on June 20, 2019.
The Chief Constable said that on July 16, 2019, he received a report from his driver that during the process of cleaning the interior of the vehicle, he discovered a bag under a seat.
Foo said that the bag was shown to him and he immediately summoned the administrative Inspector and the Officer in charge of Investigation, “where we observed the bag to be sealed and bearing the markings of the M&CC. Foo said that he later brought the issue to the attention of other relative officials of the Council
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