The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six on Thursday learnt that over $2 million was spent to transport National Cadet Corps students from the region to Georgetown in order for them to practice and later take part in independence celebrations in May.
Zamal Hussain, PPP/C Regional Councillor told a statutory meeting of the RDC that he made the discovery at a recent tender board meeting, where the bill for $2 million was brought for belated approval.
Hussain said he immediately became suspicious and contacted the Regional Education Officer (REdO), who informed him that the spending was due to a directive from the Ministry of Education. “Within five days period, we had spent $2 million. So, this was shocking to me, so I asked the [REdO] pertaining to the issue and she told me that this was a policy by the Ministry of Education to get cadet corps to go for training for the independence celebration in Georgetown,” he said.