Two officers from the Matakai sub-region Neigh-bourhood Democratic Council (NDC) have been summoned by the regional administration of Region One (Barima/Waini) as an investigation continues into allegations that a former official was advanced some $4.5 million off the books.
Acting Chairman of the NDC Richard Allen would only confirm to Stabroek News yesterday that the two persons, who are mandated to keep the accounts of the council, will travel to Mabaruma and present the council’s records to Regional Executive Officer (REO) Mary Williams.
Williams had said she knew nothing of the allegations until she saw reports in the media and it was based on the reports that she mandated her deputy, Deon Seecharran, to conduct an investigation. The REO had said she was meeting her senior officers to discuss the issue but as far as she knew there was no financial misappropriation at the council. “After the investigation is concluded the report would be sent to the Ministry of Local Government and they would inform the media about the findings,” Williams had said.
However, Stabroek News has been reliably informed that the regional administration knew of the issue before the press reports. It was pointed out that the issue was discussed at the council’s statutory meeting last week Thursday and there were representatives from the regional administration present. “They are fully well aware of this issue,” a source said yesterday.
Prior to that meeting, the official who reportedly advanced the money to the former official, proceeded on no-pay leave without any permission. The official is one of the two summoned by the regional administration.
Sources yesterday said they are very concerned about the issue, since the former official held a very senior position with the council for many years and only demitted office last year. It was pointed out that the former official is a major player in a contracting business that has been awarded a number of the council’s contracts.
Stabroek News was told that in some cases no contracts were drawn up and it was only after the completion of the work that documents for payments would be drawn up. There is no tender process in the awarding of contracts, sources said. It is believed that the former official was asked to step down from his position because persons had started to complain about the fact that the company he was associated with was being awarded so many contracts. “They knew that people were saying is only because he was there that the company was getting all the contracts, so he was asked to step down. But even though he is not there anymore we know is because of his association with the council that the company still getting so many contracts,” a source said.
Persons are questioning how someone could be advanced such a large sum of money and neither the council nor the regional administration knew anything about it. “We would not allow this thing to be swept under the carpet, the truth must come to light,” another source said.
One source said the police should have been immediately called in to investigate the issue and those found culpable placed before the courts.
