ARMED bandits yesterday entered the finance office of the Ministry of Public Works and robbed two payroll clerks of close to eight million dollars, which represented the payroll for the ministry’s field workers.
This publication was informed that the two male bandits stood for almost half an hour at the guard hut inside the ministry’s compound, awaiting the return of the payroll clerks and their armed escort. They reportedly told the female security guard occupying the hut that they were workers from an interior location. The guard was reportedly not alarmed at the presence of the men, since they were outfitted as workers from the ministry, with safety vests and hats.
However, when the vehicle with the payroll returned to the ministry, the two bandits pounced on the payroll clerks, gun-butting the female guard on the head, disarming the escort who had accompanied the payroll, and seizing the briefcase with the payroll.
As the bandits beat a hasty retreat from the premises, the briefcase with the payroll fell and approximately two hundred thousand dollars came out and was retrieved by Ministry personnel.
Public Works Minister Robeson Benn told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday afternoon that he received a call just after noon informing him of the development. He said that, among other things, he was told that the men, after robbing the ministry, fled the area on CG motorcycles.
Asked if the fact that the men were dressed as ministry employees had raised the concern of revisiting the dress code and means of positively identifying ministry workers, Minister Benn responded in the negative. He, however, pointed out that the ministry would be revisiting its security arrangements, including those for its staff.
He admitted that the ministry does not have security cameras, and that the ministry would have to rely on the security cameras from nearby businesses and other buildings to see if any useful footage could be delivered to the police.
Minister Benn pointed out that the ministry would be working very hard to ensure that the workers who were affected by the robbery are paid in a timely manner, and in time for the Christmas season.
He said the Finance Minister had already been informed of the development, and the matter would have to be investigated.
Meanwhile, a letter detailing the events and theft of the money was being drafted by the Permanent Secretary of the Public Works Ministry for delivery to the Minister of Finance.
The police have been called in, and investigations are ongoing.