Here are some possible TORs for forensic examination to Georgetown City Hall
Dear Editor,
Hats off to the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development for ordering a forensic examination in Georgetown Civic! Citizens will have to hold their breath as they await those findings. Unsurprisingly, the Mayor is asking as a prerequisite to begin this badly needed exercise to accept the ‘terms of reference of the audit,’ clearly a tactic intended to delay and distract and divert attention.
Well here are a few TORs I would like to suggest. First, I would like the auditors to find out what the Council’s Internal Auditor and Internal Audit have been doing for the past seven years. Why are the Council’s books not prepared for inspection during this long period? This is in addition to the Council also creating a special audit committee. It’s all just a waste of time and money.
A human resources audit should be conducted to investigate their differentiated and well-known ‘friends and family’ hiring process, pure nepotism, cronyism and favoritism at its highest, which has taken place over the years at City Hall. Then there are their ‘too many Heads and not enough Braves’ in the extremely heavy staff structure, the arbitrary positioning of some people to the top of the ‘extreme feather bed’ of the pay scales, the rapid promotion of some and the stagnation of others leading to superstition . , the non-payment of deductions by employees to the National Insurance Scheme, Guyana Finance Authority and Credit Unions is not only a gross violation of Guyana laws, but a grave injustice to their employees who can receive no benefits or health care.
Auditors should examine the notorious parking meter fiasco, which was set up and operated illegally for a while until civil society came under pressure. They should also look at the illegal waiver of interest at property rates which the Council is not authorized to give but may only grant certain discounts at specially prescribed discounts. They should also investigate why the Council is failing to serve demand notices on property owners, which is a legal requirement.
Another TOR of the audit should be to look at the illegal leasing and sale of municipal reserves throughout the city at places such as alongside the Lamaha Canal water conservation, at the southern extremity of Mandela Avenue near Aubrey Barker Road and at the Ruimveldt Industrial Site.
The audit TOR should include an examination of the Council’s procurement processes and their consistent failure to ensure that procurement of goods, services and delivery of work is conducted in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective manner. and such policy guidelines provided by procurement law and regulations.
And the TOR should get the auditors to look for payroll fraud and fantasy workers, abuse of assets, skimming, reimbursement of costs, and misuse of municipal vehicles and other assets.
Truly,
Shanta Singh