LINDEN Municipal Councillors have expressed concern about monies being spent from its coffers without following the proper procedure for doing so.

The issue was raised at the recently held statutory meeting, where a discussion arose over payment of a reimbursement cheque to Councillor Carwyn Holland for expenses incurred on a recent trip to China. Holland travelled to China along with councillor Lennox Gasper on official business of the council.

The matter was put to a vote and while the majority of the councillors present voted in favour of Holland being reimbursed, treasurer of the municipality Audrey Nelson then advised the council that the cheque Holland presented was paid to the travel agent after he would have left for China.

Councillors then became outraged that they were advised on this after the vote went through hence the concern that the Council’s money is being spent in an haphazard way.
“The vote went ahead and then we are hearing afterward…I think the Council wasn’t properly advised and I would like to say here and now that in future, especially on matters that are important as these, the council be sufficiently advised because these little things can cause a lot of problems,” councillor Colin Anderson said, after voting for the payment to be made to Holland.

Councillor Lennox Gasper said that he has seen inconsistencies in the documentation relating to the payment Holland submitted and said that a vote went ahead without the council being properly advised. He said that the council is often “hasty” in signing things without thoroughly checking, “Because to me it is coming across as though somebody is trying to rip this council off…this council cannot be ripped off. We have to do things transparently…this council needs to be very careful in how it administers and how it deals with the public’s finance and this council can’t be too sympathetic in voting.”

Councillor Keron Williams said that the issue is not about paying Holland as the council never had an issue with paying anyone, as long as the relevant documentation is provided and the right procedures are followed. With the situation at hand, Williams said that he hopes the administration of the council is not making payments haphazardly without making sure these things are in check. “I am still adamant that the regulatory financial procedure, the legal financial procedure is thoroughly followed before any payment of any finances belonging to this municipality is done.” The councillors then upbraided the Town Clerk (ag) Orleena Obermuller, for not being thorough enough in advising the council on matters relating to financing.

The LMTC is currently cash-strapped and has been in millions of dollars in debt. Former Mayor Holland had made several calls on Central Government to relieve the municipality of the debt, so as to allow it to better meet the needs of the workers and the township of Linden.