No residence records for District Four Govt. live quarters- RE report 2019
Kaieteur News- For occupying government quarters, public servants are required to pay rent of 10 percent and 12 percent of their salary for unfurnished and unfurnished accommodation, respectively, except where rent-free government quarters were allowed previously approved, as a condition of service.
However, the Auditor General’s 2019 report noted that despite the regional administration in Region Four owning and controlling several quarters of government, no records or documentation were presented for audit relating to the year 2019.
The audit report explained that staff who occupy living quarters are entitled to rent-free quarters if their official residence is outside Region Four.
“There is no other member of staff who is entitled to a quarter of rent-free living and who pays rent,” the document noted.
The audit office has therefore recommended that the Regional Ministry submit for inspection a comprehensive and updated inventory of buildings for the year in question. In response, the Head of the Budget Agency noted that the Regional Administration was continuing to work with the relevant agencies with the aim of identifying occupiers of government quarters to ensure compliance.
One of the buildings used by the Government to provide housing for State employees.
This is not the first time that issues relating to the occupation of government quarters have been highlighted in the RE report. The problem dates back many years. In 2015, the Office of the Auditor General found that 72 residential buildings were occupied by District officials. However, the District administration did not accept rents from the residents.
In addition, regional officials could not say whether any of the properties were furnished, nor could they verify who was eligible to live rent-free.
This issue had raised serious questions about accountability by senior officials in the Regions, and why such a matter was not known under the watch of a Regional Executive Officer and a Deputy Regional Executive Officer.
It is thought that this issue could have defrauded the government purse of over $ 7M over that period on non-payment.
In 2016, Auditor General Deodat Sharma also found that out of 300 buildings owned by District Four Administration, 132. However, only 26 of these residents were actually paying rent. In his report, the Auditor General had stated that squatting remained unabated.
Sharma also highlighted the issue in his 2017 report, noting that over $ 1M in rent remains unpaid. According to the report, the issue is of particular concern with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.
The Ministry had a total of forty-two apartments available for rent to public officials during that financial year. According to the report from the inspection of the rent file, rental register and other supporting documents, the AG was able to determine that there were 37 flats rented, five vacant, and 14 rent-free.
In addition, it was noted that in December 2017, the amount of $ 1.444 million was outstanding. This includes the amount of $ 669,000 for 2016 and $ 775,000 for 2017. It should be noted that some tenants have had unpaid rents since January 2016.
“This contradicts Clause Two of their rental agreement, which states that the tenant agrees to pay the landlord the monthly rent in advance,” the Auditor General had reported in 2017.