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THE Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) senior officers, who had their services terminated recently, were found to be engaging in “improper financial activities for personal gain”. Among other things they were unlawfully issuing fuel and loans to certain staff members of the municipality, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker said yesterday.
He was speaking at a press conference he hosted at the ministry, in Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown, together with the portfolio Minister, Mr. Ganga Persaud and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Collin Croal.
Whittaker spoke on the basis of the findings in the Auditor General’s Report, which found Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck; City Engineer Gregory Erskine; City Treasurer Andrew Meredith; and Solid Waste Management Director Hubert Urlin all culpable of several misdeeds.
Their dismissal took effect from December 31, 2012.
Last July 23, when the dismissed functionaries were asked to proceed on leave, Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe and Personnel Officer Paulette Braithwaite were also requested to do likewise.
But, according to Whittaker, those individuals will be reinstated to their positions, once they are not found to have committed offences that warrant dismissal.
Conflict
He said there was conflict of interest in some instances and a lack of due and diligent care in securing the municipality’s assets.
A number of contracts with which those officers dealt were found to be faulty, as well, Whittaker reported.
He said the evidence provided against the fired officers in the AG’s report has revealed several acts of transgressions of policies, rules and regulations and negligence in the execution of duties.
With regard to criminal proceedings, the minister said the police will have to make that decision, although he pointed out that incompetence, inefficiency and the like, may not be enough to warrant such actions.
He observed that the negative actions of the officers only serve to deny citizens the services they deserve and he was happy that Mayor Hamilton Green supported the ministry’s decision to send those officials home.
The Mayor had said that the ministry’s directive brings “relief and closure” to what seemed to be a cycle of misdeeds, misdemeanours and apparent corruption.
In fact, he declared he was “delighted” to hear the news.
Green said he hopes that similar actions will be taken in other agencies, such as the National Communications Network (NCN) and with officers dealing with important contracts.
Currently, Ms. Carol Sooba is performing the duties of Town Clerk; Mr. Lloyd Alleyne as City Engineer and Mr. Ron Mc Calmon, City Treasurer.
He was speaking at a press conference he hosted at the ministry, in Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown, together with the portfolio Minister, Mr. Ganga Persaud and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Collin Croal.
Whittaker spoke on the basis of the findings in the Auditor General’s Report, which found Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck; City Engineer Gregory Erskine; City Treasurer Andrew Meredith; and Solid Waste Management Director Hubert Urlin all culpable of several misdeeds.
Their dismissal took effect from December 31, 2012.
Last July 23, when the dismissed functionaries were asked to proceed on leave, Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe and Personnel Officer Paulette Braithwaite were also requested to do likewise.
But, according to Whittaker, those individuals will be reinstated to their positions, once they are not found to have committed offences that warrant dismissal.
Conflict
He said there was conflict of interest in some instances and a lack of due and diligent care in securing the municipality’s assets.
A number of contracts with which those officers dealt were found to be faulty, as well, Whittaker reported.
He said the evidence provided against the fired officers in the AG’s report has revealed several acts of transgressions of policies, rules and regulations and negligence in the execution of duties.
With regard to criminal proceedings, the minister said the police will have to make that decision, although he pointed out that incompetence, inefficiency and the like, may not be enough to warrant such actions.
He observed that the negative actions of the officers only serve to deny citizens the services they deserve and he was happy that Mayor Hamilton Green supported the ministry’s decision to send those officials home.
The Mayor had said that the ministry’s directive brings “relief and closure” to what seemed to be a cycle of misdeeds, misdemeanours and apparent corruption.
In fact, he declared he was “delighted” to hear the news.
Green said he hopes that similar actions will be taken in other agencies, such as the National Communications Network (NCN) and with officers dealing with important contracts.
Currently, Ms. Carol Sooba is performing the duties of Town Clerk; Mr. Lloyd Alleyne as City Engineer and Mr. Ron Mc Calmon, City Treasurer.
