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Reg. 7 REO fails to account for 98 unauthorised occupants of government quarters at PAC meeting
Kaieteur News – Regional Executive Officer (REO) Kerwin Ward on Monday failed to account for 98 unauthorised occupants of government quarters when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday.
Region Seven’s Regional Executive Officer (REO), Kerwin Ward
During the 66th Meeting of the PAC Ward was confronted with serious questions regarding the management of government housing in Region Seven. The inquiry follows an alarming audit that revealed a significant number of unauthorized occupants in government quarters.
The meeting, chaired by Jermaine Figueira at the Parliament Buildings, highlighted findings from the Auditor General’s report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. According to the report, out of 124 government quarters under Regional Administration’s control, only nine occupants were paying rent, while three were entitled to rent-free accommodation. The status of the remaining 98 occupants remained undocumented, raising concerns about eligibility and rent collection.
PAC member Ganesh Mahipaul, along with other members including Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira and Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, expressed frustration over the ongoing issue of unauthorized occupancy, which has persisted from 2019 to 2023 without resolution.
“Government quarters are not for people in terms of status; it is primarily in terms of needs,” Mahipaul emphasized, underscoring the importance of adherence to established rules regarding occupancy.
In response to questions about the current occupancy status of the government quarters, REO Ward acknowledged that he would need time to compile the necessary information. Mahipaul pressed further, asking for a list detailing the occupants’ status from 2019, including how many were entitled to rent-free accommodation.
Unfortunately, Ward could not provide the statistics at the time. He however mentioned that most of the persons occupying the government quarters are teachers.
Mahipaul further challenged Ward on the lack of action taken to address the findings of the 2019 audit. “What measures did you take after the memorandum was sent out in 2018 to ensure compliance?” he asked, to which Ward admitted that no substantial measures had been implemented.
In defence of the situation, Ward explained, “We did an assessment of those occupying the buildings to determine who is entitled to rent-free housing, but we face challenges as some teachers are from outside the region.” However, he conceded that the lack of documentation for these claims hampered efforts to enforce proper occupancy guidelines.
Mahipaul revealed that the state spent over $2 million on maintenance for living quarters in 2019 alone, raising the pressing question of how the government would recoup these costs if unauthorized occupants refuse to pay rent. “The state is expending huge sums of money, in 2019 the state paid $2.1 million for the maintenance for the engineers living quarters, maintenance of red own living quarters $1.460 million and this is just maintenance,” the PAC member stated.
In response to the REO’s statement about the majority of occupants being teachers, Teixeira Minister said, “In 2019, only three people were paying rent, so saying that the majority of occupants are teachers doesn’t directly address the issues raised in the Auditor General’s report.”
The minister demanded clarity on the situation, noting that not all teachers would qualify for free housing based on the established criteria.
Additionally, Minister Edghill spoke of the financial implications of the mismanagement, noting that the ministry incurs significant costs for maintenance and utilities of these buildings. “A comprehensive property register is necessary to determine the expenses we are incurring,” he asserted.
The session also underscored the absence of formal agreements for those living rent-free.
The PAC Chair questioned the procedures that permitted such arrangements, prompting Mahipaul to reiterate that occupancy should be based on need, not status.
With the REO failing to provide satisfactory answers, the PAC chairman directed Ward to submit a complete report of the assessment, including the names of occupants and their eligibility status, within two weeks.
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