Disciplinary action pending against worker accused of withholding cash grant cheques - Region Six REO says

Disciplinary action pending against worker accused of withholding cash grant cheques – Region Six REO says

Aug 07, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – Region Six’s cash grant distribution exercise has hit a snag after a Community Support Officer/Help Desk worker attached to the Hogstyle/Lancaster Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) allegedly failed to hand over several cheques that were under her responsibility, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) heard at its statutory meeting on Thursday.

Disciplinary action pending against worker accused of withholding cash grant cheques - Region Six REO says

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Region Six, Ronald Harsaywack

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ronald Harsaywack told the council the distribution exercise is now in its fourth phase, but the matter involving the worker, identified as Kia Williams-Morgan, has raised questions about compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

APNU councillor Mehalai McAlmont pressed Harsaywack on what disciplinary action had been taken to prevent a recurrence.

Harsaywack confirmed he had been notified by the NDC chairman that cheques were not being lodged as required.

“My instructions then and my instructions now are the government’s cheques are to be lodged at the NDC in the safe,” he told the council, noting that NDC overseers are responsible for receiving, signing for, and safeguarding the cheques.

He warned that any breach of that procedure would be met with “condign action” — that is, punishment fitting the offence — under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.

On the steps taken so far, Harsaywack said he had requested and received a written statement from Williams-Morgan, and had since referred the matter to the Finance Secretary at the Ministry of Finance to determine appropriate action.

According to the REO, 54 cheques were unaccounted for as of 14^th July, after Williams-Morgan reportedly failed to hand them over to the overseer. Of those, 14 have since been returned to the Hogstyle/Lancaster NDC in Corentyne, while the remaining 40 have already been distributed to recipients.

Harsaywack added that 7,995 cheques were received on Wednesday for distribution Thursday, following 6,983 received the previous week for dispatch to the NDCs.

The Hogstye/Lancaster NDC in Corentyne

Pathway Workers

McAlmont also raised concerns from Pathway Workers — government part-time employees — over recent changes to their payment schedule, and asked how the new system would affect the more than 5,000 workers across the region.

Harsaywack confirmed the change, explaining it was driven by the operational strain of the previous system, under which workers were paid on staggered dates throughout the week.

“When I assumed the office of the REO, they were paid every four, five, six days every week, and it was very burdensome to the administration to have teams going to pay three people one day, ten people another day, seven people another day,” he said, noting the arrangement also drove up costs for police escorts, security, and repeated bank visits to service just a handful of workers at a time.

Under the new system, payments are consolidated into two cycles: the first covering the 1st to the 10th of the month, with pay sheets due by the 15th; and the second covering the 16th onward, with pay sheets due by the 29th.

Harsaywack said the RDC continues to encourage pathway workers to open bank accounts, which would simplify salary administration and reduce the need for in-person payments.

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cash grant cheques, disciplinary action, NDC, SOPs

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