Chairman of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) Board of Directors Nigel Hinds has resigned from the post, while saying that he could not perform in the best interest of the company as a “rubber stamp.”
His resignation, effective from October 26, 2016, follows ongoing issues with the corporation’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Van West-Charles.
In the October 6, 2016 resignation letter, which was sent to Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan and seen by Stabroek News, Hinds said he was resigning with regret.
“The faith and confidence you have placed in me to perform the duties of Chairman is greatly appreciated and I have endeavoured over the last year to carry out the functions of the Board Chairman to the best of my ability,” he wrote.
“However, I cannot perform in the best interest of GWI, GWI staff, GWI shareholders and other stakeholders of GWI – as a rubber stamp Chairman of GWI. Thus, my resignation,” he added.
Stabroek News had been told that Hinds had wanted a motion to be moved by the board to recommend to Bulkan that the CEO be sent on administrative leave, pending an investigation into complaints made against him by senior staff. The motion was later amended to having the affected senior staff be given a hearing before any decision is taken.
This newspaper was told that the board, which had reportedly launched an investigation into the CEO’s actions, was unable to take any disciplinary action against him and even if it were, there are some members who would be against such a course of action.