The Local Government Commission (LGC) is set to decide the fate of Corriverton Treasurer Ronita Griffith in the new week following an investigation into allegations of poor accounting practices brought against her by the Town Council.
According to LGC Chairman Mortimer Mingo an investigation was conducted and a report submitted to the commission.
“We will meet sometime next week, either Monday or Tuesday, to discuss the findings and come to a decision on the way forward,” Mingo told Stabroek News.
Meanwhile, Griffith remains at work since the LGC has not approved a motion passed by the Town Council to have the treasurer suspended.
“The commission has not sent the Treasurer on any leave,” Mingo said while Mayor Winston Roberts maintained that for the council she remains suspended.
“[Griffith] was there but not in the office. She was locked out of the office by the council to protect our evidence,” Roberts explained.
He confirmed that an “internal auditor from the Ministry of Communities” was at the Council all last week and said that his council is eager to see the findings.
Griffith has been accused of failing to account for a $3.2 million expenditure during the fiscal year of 2017/2018 and engaging in actions which led to the loss of some $3.6 million in rates and taxes from Black Bush Rice Milling Company for the period 2007 – 2016.
In a public statement at the time of her suspension, Mayor Roberts stated that the Town Council had decided to send Griffith on administrative leave pending an investigation into alleged “gross incompetence, misleading the council and failure to accurately account for an expenditure.”
“As a direct result of the municipal treasurer actions, the council spent money that it never had in 2017/2018 and now finds itself in a deficit of $3.2 million for the year 2019.
This will adversely affect the execution of projects and the delivery of services by the council,” the statement explained. Roberts went on to state that the irregularities were discovered in February after an examination of the council’s record.
He stressed then when approached for an explanation the Treasurer gave several including that the sum of $3.2 million was utilised to purchase a skid steer in the year 2016.
“However, the records of the council that were prepared by the treasurer show no such expenditure in the year 2016,”the statement added.
