–over threat to sanction RDC officials for inefficiency

REGION Ten Chairman, Mr Renis Morian has not taken kindly to an alleged threat by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to sanction Regional Democratic Council (RDC) officials for not executing their jobs effectively.

“I take umbrage to the fact that the administration of this Region is being threatened and sanctioned when, for us to execute efficiently and effectively, we need to have the requisite staff as a Regional Democratic Council,” Morian said Thursday. “I will not, as a Chairman presiding over a Council, sit down and allow anybody; anyone of the agencies to sanction officers of this agency, when they are aware we don’t have the tools!
“Is World War III gon start in Region 10!” he told members of the RDC at the day’s sitting of regular statutory meeting.

The call to sanction, Morian told councillors, was made during a special meeting last Monday to address irregularities highlighted in the Auditor General’s 2015 Report.
Morian said that granted that there were indeed some hiccups during 2016 where the execution of works were concerned, but it is unfair to threaten sanctions when everyone know that the RDC is short of critical staffing, and a request is currently with the Public Service Commission to fill those vacancies.

He’s not saying that there isn’t room for improvement, Morian said, but those key vacancies need to be filled first before any results can be achieved.
“Don’t give me a donkey cart and want ah run like a race cart, and sanctioning me when I ain’t run like a race cart!” he said.

FELT THREATENED
Morian said that he felt distinctly threatened at last Monday’s meeting when the authorities spoke of sanctioning the Regional Executive Officer, Mr Gavin Clarke and other officers, and stressed that he will not be submitting to any sanctions until the vacancies are filled.
The PAC called a meeting with regional officials at the Public Buildings here in the city on Monday to stress the need for accountability so as to prevent fraud, embezzlement and misuse of public funds.

Finance Secretary to the Finance Ministry and PAC Advisor, Dr. Hector Butts said that if explanations were not forthcoming from those responsible or understood, “then decisions will have to be taken to streamline our thinking, or bring heads of agencies or parties in line with what is expected.”

He reminded officials at the meeting of the legal consequence of fraud against the State, which carries a fine of $2M and as much as three years in prison.
Auditor-General, Mr Deodat Sharma, in highlighting some of the irregularities in the Auditor’s 2015 report, cited appropriation lapses where, at the end of the year, funds are rolled over rather than being transferred to the appropriate fund.

SENT ON LEAVE
Back in January 2016, three RDC staff attached to the Region 10 Works Department were sent on administrative leave for alleged fraudulent behaviour.
An investigation into the matter was subsequently launched by the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), after which the three suspects were arrested but released on their own recognisance.

Since then, the Works Department has been short of staff, and this has affected the execution of works in Region 10.
Meanwhile, there has been no word from SARU in relation to the investigation, and it has been over a year since the workers are home while being paid. Since their contracts have not been terminated, the RDC cannot hire any officer in their place.

Since Region 10 has received their 2017 budgetary allocation of $3.1B and a large volume of infrastructural works are soon to commence, there is fear among residents and RDC Councillors that works may be stymied as a result of this.

CALL FOR CLOSURE
Taking the foregoing into account, Regional Chairman Morian is now calling on SARU to bring closure to the investigation.

“The kind of work that we have to do in the execution of the Plan of Action of Regional Development (PARD), we need to have four persons and more in place,” Morian said, adding:
“What I am aware of is that the information concerning the investigation has been done; the administration had written the Public Service Commission to have a definitive closure in this matter.

“We have made our recommendations, but we know the final decision, based on all of the facts, resides with the Public Service Commission, and by and large the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities.”