Dear Editor,
The Kaieteur News front page on Saturday, July 10, screams the caption of an article in bold red lettering, `Overpaying teachers cost Region Five $80 million –Harmon’. The article reported that Government was in receipt of an explanation from the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Five, Mr. Ovid Morrison, regarding a decision to withhold the salaries of teachers. Based on this explanation, Minister of State, the Hon. Joseph Harmon told the press, “What I can say is this, the Regional Executive Officer when he appeared before the Public Accounts Commit-tee [PAC] was faced with a situation where the Public Accounts Commit-tee asked for the Region to give an explanation for over expenditure of about $80m in this respect. That is, in respect to the payment of teachers.”
Page 280 of the 2015 Auditor General Report for Agency 75, Region 5 – Mahaica/Berbice, carries a column that shows the Net Salary Overpaid for the years 2012 to 2015 totals $2.933 million. However, this amount does not apply to teachers alone, but also includes amounts paid to the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme. But after monies were recovered, the Net Salary & Deductions Outstanding totaled only $2.156 million over the same period, 2012 to 2015. A far cry from the $80 million being reported. Who provided this misleading information? This duplicity should not go unpunished.
In a recent letter, I wrote about the ongoing infighting at the Region 5 RDC involving the APNU+AFC Councillors led by the Regional Executive Officer, Mr Morrison, and the Regional Chairman, Mr. Vickchand Ramphal that, if allowed to continue, will stymie progress in the entire region.
I also disclosed Morrison’s intention to further victimize and punish Staff Nurse/Midwife Sherilyn Marks when he announced at a Heads of Department Meeting on Thursday, May 25 at the RDC Boardroom in Ft. Wellington, that Marks had committed “a serious crime for which she will pay for.” But these are just a few of the many complaints levelled against Ovid Morrison which leaves me to conclude that this man is consumed with power, and acts like he is answerable to no one. A few days ago when angry teachers held two massive demonstrations outside his Fort Wellington office to protest the unconscionable withholding of teachers’ salaries, he refused to come out to meet the teachers. But the teachers are not the only ones whose salaries are being withheld, he’s doing the same to nurses and the Administrative staff.
Morrison often circumvents the authority of the Regional Chairman by making critical decisions without his knowledge and without the approval of the Council. Ovid Morrison behaves as though he is the Regional Chairman and REO all wrapped up in one. I call upon the Minister of Communities, the Hon. Ronald Bulkan to investigate the following and stop the abuse of power by the Region 5 REO:
Frank Wilson, a heavy-duty driver employed at the RDC was promoted by the REO and given the title of Transport Officer, a position that does not exist under the RDC staffing inventory. And there is no indication that this appointment was ever approved by the Public Service Commission and/or the Department of Public Service. Frank Wilson is also the Chairman of the Tempe/Seafield NDC. Here’s the problem: This heavy-duty driver lives in a government house next to the REO in the RDC compound at Fort Wellington with the consent and approval of the REO. Wilson is also given the use of a black car, registration number PTT 4262 that belongs to the RDC for his personal use. This needs to be investigated because Wilson, who has his home in Litchfield, is neither qualified as a Transport Officer nor as a NDC Chairman to occupy a government house nor enjoy the use of a government vehicle for personal use. And Morrison has no authority to allow him to do so.
The APNU+AFC Region 5 Councillor, Delon Crawford who is also employed as a driver, was given a government-owned motorcycle to use by REO, Ovid Morrison. Crawford’s wife, Onica Sam, an overseer at the Tempe/Seafield NDC also rides a government-owned motorcycle, compliments of the REO. Allocation was approved in the 2015 Regional Budget for the purchase of scooters for the Public Health Department. These motorcycles were to be used by the Environmental Health Assistants (EHA) to efficiently monitor sanitation issues within the Region 5 NDCs.
The REO needs to explain if there is a Land and Water Transport Logbook attached to all government-owned vehicles, more so the one privately used by Transport Officer Frank Wilson, and the motorcycles used by the Region 5 Councillor Delon Crawford and his Overseer wife, so that costing for fuel and lubricants can be recorded under the Regional Administration and Finance programme. He also needs to clarify whether these logs are recorded on a daily basic as required by a Finance Circular, number 3/2011 issued by the former Finance Secretary, Neermal Rekha, which was sent to all Heads of Budget Agencies. Indications are however, the fuel and maintenance cost of these vehicles are borne by taxpayers.
After cash-crop farmers were evicted from their farms at Naarstigheid, West Coast Berbice early this year, the region’s money has been used to clear the land without consultation with the Council. This project was initially placed in the 2017 Regional Budget but was not approved by Central Government. The REO needs to explain to the nation where the money came from to clear this land, because any change to the Work Programme requires the approval of the Ministry of Finance, and no such approval was given. Even the Works Committee of the RDC was not informed of this project, and as such had no reason to visit the site, and certainly did not certify any payment expended on this project.
By now, we’re all familiar with the vindictive transfer of Staff Nurse/Midwife Sherilyn Marks from the Fort Wellington Hospital after the Carol Joseph drug issue was exposed in the press. But little is known of the REO’s abuse of authority, disrupting the lives of RDC personnel by transferring them permanently on acting appointments in violation of Public Service Rules, and without the permission of the Public Service Ministry or Public Service Commission.
In keeping with his appointment as REO, Ovid Morrison should be a signatory to the NDC bank accounts. He has to sign-off on cheques when the NDC have to expend monies in excess of $1 million. However, to date, he has made no effort to correct a conflict he has with his name. At the last two Heads of Department meetings, he was asked to explain the holdup that is preventing the bank from accepting his signature. Until this is fixed, the bank will not allow him to be a signatory to the NDC accounts. And savings that were realized from the 2016 subvention cannot be expended, or whatever was expended, could not be paid to contractors because the REO cannot sign-off on those cheques. As a result, all the NDC work programmes are on standstill because they cannot access money to complete major projects in the region.
Yours faithfully,
Harry Gill
PPP/C Member of Parliament
