Former Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, was today charged with misconduct in public office by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).
A release from the Guyana Police Force noted that an audit with respect to the rental of the Lot 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown warehouse facility, and which covered the period 1st July, 2016 to 30th June, 2019 was conducted by the Audit Office of Guyana.
Pursuant to the said audit, the matter was then forwarded to SOCU where investigations revealed that in 2016, Norton “unlawfully instructed Trevor Thomas (Permanent Secretary) of the said Ministry not to engage the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) with respect to the tender and/or any submission of any justification for a single source award to Linden Holding Inc. for the rental of the Lot 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown warehouse facility, for storage of pharmaceuticals, in accordance with the Procurement Act. Cap. 73:01”.
The release further said it was determined that Norton further instructed Thomas to prepare a Memorandum for him to take to Cabinet for its deliberation on the matter. Thereafter, the release said that Thomas received a copy of Cabinet’s decision awarding a contract to Linden Holding Inc. for the rental of its Sussex Street property for storage of pharmaceuticals. The release said that Thomas was further instructed by Norton to sign the contract for the rental of the Sussex Street Bond which he did.
The release noted that the Agreement of Tenancy was made on the 20th day of July 2016 between Linden Holding Inc., with its registered office and place of business situate at Lot 1 Brickdam, Georgetown and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, for a period of three years commencing 1st June 2016, at a monthly rent of $12,500,000.
An advance payment of $37,500,000 was paid to Linden Holding Inc. This payment represented 2 months’ rent and 1 month’s security deposit.
The release said that Norton appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, where he was not required to plead to the charges as they were indictable.
Norton was represented by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes and Marissa Leander. He was placed on $400,000 bail, required to lodge his passport and the matter was adjourned to April 27, 2021.
