In a press release the ministry said Minister Manzoor Nadir, along with Regional Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha and Chief Cooperatives Development Officer Kareem Abdul Jabbar inspected operations at the Port Mourant United Cooperative Society Limited and the Port Mourant Follow-up Cooperative Society Limited. These two societies have been challenged by a number of problems including poor management and accountability.
The release said Jabbar was forced to assume operations at the Port Mourant United Cooperative Society after a number of claims by auditors about its inability to express a favourable opinion on the accounts. Also, persons have been acquiring lands in co-ops without the proper adherence to the rules and laws governing the cooperatives. Nadir warned that the Co-op Department will continue to check societies’ books and those found in default will face prosecution.
The release said the outreach to Region Six follows on the heels of one made in Region Two early last week. The ministry reminds all cooperative societies that they are required to send their annual returns to the Chief Cooperatives Development Society by March 31.
