2018 AG Report for Region Two Health Department shows $111.5 million unaccounted for

Oct 15, 2020 News

– Region had received $210.1 million for drugs and supplies…

Regional Executive Officer Devenand Ramdatt (left), Regional Chairman Vilma De Silva (right).

Kaieteur News – An Auditor General report dated December 31, 2018, has revealed that $111.5 million, which was supposedly expended for the procurement of medical drugs and supplies in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is unaccounted for. This information was revealed yesterday by the Clerk of the Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Devenand Ramdatt who was at the time updating the RDC on the report, during the Council’s first sitting.
Ramdatt, who functions in the capacity of the Regional Accounting Officer of Region Two, said that in 2018, $210.1 million was requested by the Health Department in Region Two for the procurement of drugs and medical supplies. Interestingly, of the $210.1 million, just $98.6 million was actually expended. Ramdatt said that the balance of $111.5 million was unaccounted for.
He went on to say, “I have presented to council from preliminary finding from the report. From the Auditor General for December 31, 2018, we’ve found a number of irregularities and malpractices that were ongoing.”
Quoting from the report, Ramdatt read, “With respect to the warrant issued on 31st January 2019 to Ministry of Public Health for $210.1 million. A financial return was received indicating that the entire amount was expended; however, a statement of reconciliation was received from the materials management unit [MMU] in August of 2020, which reflected cost of deliveries of $98.6 million. So of the $210.1 million we only received $98.6 million. There was no mention of the balance totaling $111.5 million.”
The clerk indicated that the Regional Health Officer has been instructed to investigate the issue. “We have asked the Regional Health Officer to examine his system in an effort to locate the $111.5 million, and we don’t expect him to just locate and get back the value, but at the same time, we want him to create a system that will prevent future redundancies,” said Ramdatt.
Apart from the missing $111.5 million, Ramdatt said that the Audit Report also revealed that 55 drums of fuel were misused.
Commenting on this issue, he went on to say, “Fifty-five drums of fuel were misused, community health workers could not have been provided with fuel to do their work. Some resorted to using their own fuel and engine.”

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