The salaries of political appointees have come under the spotlight as it has been revealed that PNCR Executive Larry London was being paid a huge salary and other benefits in the position of Director of Public Parks under the Department of Environment when he hardly even lived in the country.
Upon assuming office last week, the Irfaan Ali administration tasked a four-man committee to do an assessment of state agencies.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall bemoaned the perks granted under London’s contract.
“You have some jobs I never heard about…you have a man getting $500,000 take home, all light bills, phone bills paid, internet bill paid, a guard and a driver and car and duty-free concession in ‘A’ grade and he gets a 22.5% of gratuity every six months with a position as Director of Parks, What is that? What is that? And you have hundreds of those creations all over…”, Nandlall charged.
During the televised “Government in Focus” programme aired on the National Communications Network and hosted by Leeron Brumell, the Attorney General, who served in government for a number of years said he has never heard of such a position.
When contacted for a response last night, London, who is currently in Guyana declined to comment. “Ma’am, if you are calling for me to respond to what is going on, I have nothing to say,” he said before disconnecting the call.
Stabroek News learnt that London, whose contract expires on January 31, 2021, received a salary of $489,000 monthly and 22.5% of his six-month salary twice yearly. Approximate benefits and average spending per month includes, but were not limited to, allowances of $25,000 for entertainment, unlimited overseas and local calls, security services which can run to around $150,000 per month, internet at 15,000, duty-free concessions (scale A) and vacation allowance of $489,000. It would mean that for a position overseeing Guyana’s parks which struggle to be maintained, London would take home around nearly $2M every month.
For Guyana’s Attorney General, it is also distressing that London, despite being given a full-time job hardly lives in this country. This newspaper understands that he is a naturalised US citizen.
“…this is a guy when I find out is hardly ever in Guyana, but he is the Director of Public Parks. What is that?” the new Minister of Legal Affairs questioned.
London in 2016 was a part of the controversial construction of the “Green Zone Recreational Park,” now referred to as D’Urban Park. London’s company HDI was tasked with finishing the construction in time for Guyana’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2016.
From all indications, Homestretch Development Inc. (HDI), through donations both from local persons and those in the diaspora, commenced work at the site in September 2015, about two months before government officially announced what was happening there.
Over $1 billion had been spent on the project – a large parade ground with wooden stands – and despite this, the National Assembly had been asked to approve millions in extra-budgetary spending to meet additional costs.
The latest Auditor General report providing a summary of findings of the investigation had said that up to December 31st, 2017, amounts totalling almost $1.150 billion were spent on the project. The report reiterated that payment vouchers to support expenditure totalling $107.119 million were not produced for audit examination while there is no evidence of checks on works for which HDI was given half a billion.
In 2018, London was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority.
Since taking office, the PPP/C has bemoaned that political appointees are putting up resistance to giving up their positions and the perks afforded them.
They were last week warned to resign this week or be fired. “We are asking them to resign and if they do not, they will be getting letters of termination. We are not going to be bullied. At the same time, we have given them a week to do what is right and from Monday they will receive letters,” Minister of Parliamentary and Government Affairs Gail Teixeira said on Friday.
Ministry of the Presidency advisor Ronald Backer, who had worked for Minister of State Joseph Harmon during his tenure at the ministry, Director of Public Information Imran Khan, Director of Sports Christopher Jones and a number of others are still to resign.
“We can do this in a very honourable and dignified manner. A number of political appointees have been advised to vacate the premises that is paid for by the taxpayers and they have not done so. We are not the ones looking for a fight. Tell your appointees to do the honourable thing,” Teixeira said.
