Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 29, 2010 News
– REO sent on leave
The Auditor General’s office has launched enquiries into the financial management of the Regional Democratic Council, Region Four.
This follows a letter from Regional Chairman Clement Corlette, who had expressed serious concerns over the financial handling of matters of the Regional Administration, with specific regard to the actions of the Regional Executive Officer (REO).
The REO has since been sent on an additional two weeks’ leave, following the completion of leave which was due to him, and which was taken at the beginning of the year.
Kaieteur News understands that the REO had spent $12.7M in works that he alleged was done but never declared it to the Council’s Works Committee.
The committee had complained that it was given the contracts after the works were already done, which is in complete violation of the statutory procedure.
A source associated with the Region Four Democratic Council told this newspaper that the REO had refused to comply with the instructions of the body.
This newspaper understands that the REO had reportedly refused to proceed on leave when it was due to him, but was ordered to do so by senior officials of the Ministry of Local Government.
Questions are being asked about the expenditure of four million dollars which was approved for the provision of equipment and furniture for the regional office.
There are reports that the REO, who was mandated to supervise the process, misused the funds and merely spiced up his office, paying scant regard to the other sections of the regional building at Triumph, East Coast Demerara. Another bone of contention is the execution of works under the council’s Capital budget.
According to a source, the Region Four Administration had approved road works for last year to the tune of $32.5M.
However the REO, reportedly only effected $9M in works under the approved package while the remainder of the money was spent on works not approved by the RDC. Kaieteur News understands that the official did not inform the Regional Administration when he went to the Tender Board to have the works awarded to contractors.
The Region subsequently expressed its concern over the awarding of $79M in contracts to one contractor.
Another contractor singlehandedly was awarded $74M in additional contracts, while $24M in contracts for the supply of material and refreshments was awarded to a single contractor, when the Region has a canteen that could have supplied some of the items.
“These contracts are being awarded to a handful of people and the tender process appears to be compromised,” a source stated.
The source said that the Regional Chairman is not satisfied with the makeup of the Regional Tender Board and has lodged a complaint with the Central Tender Board.
According to the source, the appointments to the Regional Tender Board were not done in accordance with the correct procedure.
It is understood that three members of the five-member board are appointed by the Central Government while the Regional Democratic Council appoints the other two members.
But according to the source, this was not done, as Central Government appointed RDC members who were not approved by the Region Four Council.
“The REO has been disregarding the order of the council consistently and this has forced the Regional Chairman to file a High Court action against him for failing to carry out the instructions of the Council over a protracted period,” the source told Kaieteur News.
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