Region 6 REO buckles under evidence of contract splitting …Regional Health Officer to be investigated

Jun 21, 2018 News

Region 6 RHO, Jevaughn Stephen

A wider probe has been ordered after Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Kim Williams-Stephen was forced to admit that regional officials engaged in contract splitting when a purchase of $8.3M in surgical gloves was made.
Regional tender boards can approve a contract limit up to $8M.
Contract splitting, which is illegal, is one way that officials may seek to beat the system by breaking up a contract that exceeds $8M into several smaller contracts.
When Williams-Stephen appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, the REO sought to explain the purchase when questioned. She explained that the purchases which were done on the same day from one supplier were a result of different sizes.
She stated that the purchases were for 7.0, 7.5 and 8.5 sizes of gloves. However, PAC Chairman, Irfaan Ali pointed her to a report she had submitted to the Auditor General’s office which indicated that the region had bought 700 size 7 surgical gloves from the same supplier on multiple invoices.
The REO then admitted that there was contract splitting, but pointed out that the information about the sizes was received from the regional tender board and the payment vouchers.
“You told us here in the PAC that you bought it on different invoices because it was different sizes. I just demonstrated to you that was not the case,” Ali stated.
The REO responded, ‘I do agree with you”.
“I don’t want you to agree with me. We cannot tolerate this type of behaviour. Not only is there no difference in size, but you ordered 700 on each occasion. I asked you earlier to be truthful to PAC. I gave you an opportunity because I have the document before me,” Ali stated.
The REO shared with the PAC that the situation does not continue in the region, pointing out that the gloves were ordered during 2016 under the tenure of then REO, Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya.
She shared that the Regional Health Officer, Jevaughn Stephen, remains on the job.
“The PAC is asking the Financial Secretary to pursue this matter in relation to the Regional Health Officer who is still on the job and the necessary action to be taken in relation to this breach which occurred,” Ali requested.
PAC Member, Juan Edghill, stated that there is need for a wider probe at the region to determine whether there were financial benefits for the regional officers involved in the process of contract splitting.