THE Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) regional councillor who was involved in the Essequibo Night scandal last year involving the sale of bogus tickets has been asked to resign, while several letters of reprimand have been dispatched to other officials involved.

This was confirmed yesterday by Local Government & Regional Development Minister Ganga Persaud, who himself sat on the committee that was tasked with investigating the incident.

Minister Persaud also confirmed that the completed report has been submitted to Government, and its recommendations have taken on board. He said that, acting on the report, a number of officials — some employed by the regional administration, while others were volunteers assigned various tasks in relation to that night’s activity — “received letters from the Government pointing out areas where there were breaches, and reprimanding some persons for their lapses.”

Minister Persaud said it was found that, in the interest of all that had transpired, the councillor named in the report should be asked to resign, “and he did.”

That councillor had served on the PPP/C’s slate on the Regional Democratic Council; and according to Minister Persaud, there was clear documentation presented with regard to the principles and operational procedures that should inform any such future activity undertaken by the Government.

Minister Persaud declared, “It is because of the checks and balances in place that would have caused the interception and discovery of the bogus tickets…. It was an unfortunate incident, but it happened; and we are hoping that we learn from that bit.”

Asked about severity of the penalty, Minister Persaud said, “The regional officials were not found guilty of any wrongdoing, save for certain systems or procedures that were not (as) rigidly enforced as they should have (been). In this case, investigations identified culpability, and the action taken (is) based on evidence presented.”