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THE University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) will be sending a petition to the University Council, seeking to have it reconsider the decision to terminate the contracts of Bursar John Seeram and Senior Accountant Hazel Bentick.
UGSSA President, Dr. Pat Francis told the Guyana Chronicle about it yesterday, stating that the appeal has already been prepared and will be signed by staffers at a meeting scheduled for today.
The two senior functionaries were fired following the August 9 report on an independent special audit into the institution’s account that was facilitated by the University of the West Indies (UWI).
Francis said UGSS is appealing on the ground that the dismissals were done prematurely, since the report was a draft one and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi did not present the written responses of the two dismissed officials to the Council, at the same time.
According to her, the appeal will also point out that, in the case of Bentinck, she was only appointed to her position in March and, since the period upon which the auditors reported ended in April, she cannot be held responsible for the systematic problems.
Francis posited that neither Bentinck nor Seeram are to be blamed for the financial difficulties faced by UG. Instead, it is the Administration and the past Vice-Chancellors who should be held accountable.
Francis said UGSSA also decided that it will be taking legal action against the University Council, because the nature of the posts that were held by Bentick and Seeram would jeopardise their ability to get employment anywhere else.
Industrial action
She also informed that they intend to picket both the Council and the Vice-Chancellor and, at the meeting today, decide what industrial action will be taken and the level.
According to her, they are also involving the students’ representatives, with whom they met yesterday.
The independent special audit into the UG account was undertaken to determine the state of its finances in an effort to find a solution to the “huge deficit” it faces.
The termination of Bentick’s and Seeram’s contracts was agreed when the Council convened on Thursday, August 22, to discuss, among other matters, the findings of the auditors.
Meanwhile, the audit of cash in bank and accounts receivable processes identified key financial and information technology deficiencies, including improper segregation of duties, user access and reconciliation with regard to the payroll function.
“While no acts of malfeasance were identified, the significant number and the nature of the control weaknesses observed confirm that the bursary lacks control required to adequately protect the assets of the institution. The results dilute the level of integrity of the financial information being generated and presented to management,” the auditors’ compendium stated.
Seeram and Bentick had previously been sent on administrative leave, reportedly, in order to allow the special audit to be done objectively.
UGSSA President, Dr. Pat Francis told the Guyana Chronicle about it yesterday, stating that the appeal has already been prepared and will be signed by staffers at a meeting scheduled for today.
The two senior functionaries were fired following the August 9 report on an independent special audit into the institution’s account that was facilitated by the University of the West Indies (UWI).
Francis said UGSS is appealing on the ground that the dismissals were done prematurely, since the report was a draft one and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi did not present the written responses of the two dismissed officials to the Council, at the same time.
According to her, the appeal will also point out that, in the case of Bentinck, she was only appointed to her position in March and, since the period upon which the auditors reported ended in April, she cannot be held responsible for the systematic problems.
Francis posited that neither Bentinck nor Seeram are to be blamed for the financial difficulties faced by UG. Instead, it is the Administration and the past Vice-Chancellors who should be held accountable.
Francis said UGSSA also decided that it will be taking legal action against the University Council, because the nature of the posts that were held by Bentick and Seeram would jeopardise their ability to get employment anywhere else.
Industrial action
She also informed that they intend to picket both the Council and the Vice-Chancellor and, at the meeting today, decide what industrial action will be taken and the level.
According to her, they are also involving the students’ representatives, with whom they met yesterday.
The independent special audit into the UG account was undertaken to determine the state of its finances in an effort to find a solution to the “huge deficit” it faces.
The termination of Bentick’s and Seeram’s contracts was agreed when the Council convened on Thursday, August 22, to discuss, among other matters, the findings of the auditors.
Meanwhile, the audit of cash in bank and accounts receivable processes identified key financial and information technology deficiencies, including improper segregation of duties, user access and reconciliation with regard to the payroll function.
“While no acts of malfeasance were identified, the significant number and the nature of the control weaknesses observed confirm that the bursary lacks control required to adequately protect the assets of the institution. The results dilute the level of integrity of the financial information being generated and presented to management,” the auditors’ compendium stated.
Seeram and Bentick had previously been sent on administrative leave, reportedly, in order to allow the special audit to be done objectively.
