The treasurer’s report to the Georgetown City Council, is still outstanding as the treasurer disclosed that he has not received statements from Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited since last November.
At the City Council’s statutory meeting on Tuesday the issue was raised as it was reported that councillors were not in receipt of a report from the treasurer for the month. A motion was also carried by the councillors to the effect that the city treasurer along with the Town Clerk should seek an urgent meeting with managers of the bank.
It was stated at a previous council meeting that subsequent to Republic Bank making changes to its operations, it was now facing challenges to deliver the same level of services it was once capable of. At that meeting, the treasurer, John Douglas, told the council that he cannot create a report if he does not receive statements from the bank.
While the reports were being perused at the council’s meeting on Tuesday, the Town Clerk, Sherry Jerrick, stated that the treasurer was unable to prepare his report as he had not received statements from the bank. Jerrick told the council that contact was made with Republic Bank by way of a letter. Douglas chimed in stating that he had written the bank some three times and even communicated with representatives but was told that the bank is currently having “internal difficulties.”
“Mind you Mr Chairman, we’re going to go into the month of March and to date I cannot receive a bank statement for December 2019… the last statement I got was November 2019,” Douglas said.
Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, opined that after not receiving a response from the bank, Douglas should have met with managers there to seek clarity. Douglas in response said that from discussions with representatives of the bank, it was related to him that only some managers of the bank would be able to give a printed copy of the statement for the council, however, it would not be official and “would be subjected to changes.”
Jerrick then told the council that she would make herself available to seek a meeting with the managers of the bank. On that note she added that she does not believe that all aspects of the treasurer’s report are dependent on bank statements and felt that other parts could have been reported on. With that, the town clerk further said that even with the printed copy of the report, those parts of the report that would be subject to change could have been highlighted so that the council would be guided accordingly. That however, was shot down by Narine as he said that as Mayor, he would not accept a bank statement that is subject to change.
Councillor Oscar Clarke then moved a motion for the town clerk and the treasurer to seek an urgent meeting with Republic Bank representatives. The motion was carried as those councillors present voted in favour.
