City Hall workers, including the Treasurer, have been formally suspended by the Local Government Commission (LGC) following the completion of an investigation of the discovery of a bag of money in a vehicle assigned to the Constabulary.
The bank deposit bag was at the time identified as one that belonged to the Markets Department.
At a statutory council meeting yesterday, acting Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick announced that the LGC had sent correspondence in relation to the action to be taken after the probe. Jerrick stated that the LGC suspended officers of the council and also issued warning letters as a result of their respective actions.
It was noted that the letters, which were sent out by the LGC, were sent directly to the said officers and copied to the Town Clerk. Jerrick told the council that a clerk and the City Treasurer, John Douglas, were both sent letters of suspension for one month, while a supervisor and the Clerk of Markets were issued warning letters. An officer of the constabulary was suspended for two weeks as well.
Following the announcement, Mayor Ubraj Narine told the council that their budget talks and meetings are set to commence soon and as a result it would not be wise to have the Treasurer suspended while those talks are ongoing. Councillor Oscar Clarke, in response, asked that the timeframe set out by the LGC should be communicated to the council so that it could request the postponement of the sanction if necessary. After that issue was raised, it was noted by the Town Clerk that the letters were dated January 2nd, 2020, and that in the suspension letter for the Treasurer, it was stated that he was expected to be suspended from January 13th. She noted as a result he was expected to hand over to her office then proceed off the job. Jerrick also told the council that the Human Resources Department forwarded the Treasurer’s file to him for him to undertake an official handing over but he refused.
In the correspondence to Douglas from the LGC, which was read to the council, it was noted that following a meeting held on December 20th, 2019, a decision was made to suspend him for one month without pay with effect from January 13th for negligence and dereliction of duty. The letter stated that the charges against Douglas and other officers are that they breached the standard operating procedures for escorting and depositing revenues which were collected from the Bourda Market. The Treasurer was given an opportunity to meet with the commission with his attorney and he denied the charges. “The fact that the deposit was not made as well as your omission to act on the computer generated report which was submitted to you on July 5th 2019 by Ms Sonia Pitt Clerk 3 of the City Treasurer’s Department which indicated that the deposit was not made determined that your action/omission amounted to negligence and dereliction of duty,” the letter stated.
Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore told the council that while they understand the nature of the incident, everyone should have an opportunity to appeal charges laid against them. He then noted that the Treasurer is a “critical component” of the budget process. As a result, Mentore stated that he agreed with Councillor Clarke in relation to looking into having the suspension delayed so as to facilitate the budget preparations and talks. He further noted that it should, however, be put in writing so that the council has it on record.
Subsequently Councillor Clarke moved a motion to request that the suspension of the Treasurer be moved to the end of March. Sixteen councillors voted in its favour, while two were against and five abstained. As a result, the motion was carried.
Councillor Ayodele Roache however, asked if the council had the power to overrule a decision of the LGC. She then noted while quoting a section of Chapter 13 of the Local Government Act, that if any officers of the council have grievances with decisions that the commission has made, they should raise that issue with the commission themselves. She then stated that she abstained from the vote because she believes that the motion was unconstitutional.
Councillor Clarke then told the council that the motion did not overrule the decision of the commission. Mayor Narine then agreed and said that the motion just asked for the Treasurer to be suspended at another time so that the council could have the budget for 2020 prepared.
