– as probe into $22M transactions drags on

The Ministry of Public Security employees who are under investigation over $22.556 million in transactions done in 2015, have been on administrative leave since March last year, receiving full salaries while an investigation into the matter drags on.

This was related at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing on Monday by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Daniella McCalman, who stated that while an interim police report was completed, the ministry was waiting on the police and the Public Service Commission (PSC) to proceed with the matter.

According to the Auditor General’s (AG) 2015 report, 23 transactions amounting to $22.556 million were being investigated by the Audit Office and the Guyana Police Force. It was further stated that up to September 2016, 13 payment vouchers valued at $15.671 million had still not been submitted by the ministry.

McCalman stated that the police’s interim report as well as the report from the AG was sent to the PSC, which recommended that the staffers be sent on administrative leave.

“And not being interdicted? The PSC recommended that they be sent on administrative leave? Do you understand what is happening here, accounting officer? I am paying three people salaries every month… I am paying them and they could actually be doing another job. Driving taxi, working minibus, looking at me and laughing every day, ‘they gotta pay me because they ain’t finishing with that,’” PAC member Juan Edghill commented.

“…so these persons are on a prolonged vacation from March 2016 to June 2017 and this investigation is not yet completed at the Ministry of Public Security. That is the supervisory ministry of the Guyana Police Force,” Edghill said.

Asked by member Pauline Sukhai whether any actions have been taken, McCalman said they have attempted to locate the missing vouchers but have been unsuccessful.

McCalman related that systems were in place to ensure that the same persons preparing vouchers were not the same ones checking and approving them and this has always been the procedure. She stated that the transactions in question had passed through the ministry and were recorded.

It was related that after transactions are entered into the system and approval is granted for the cheques to be cut by the clerks, the final approval is done by the Ministry of Finance.

The PAC asked McCalman to provide an update on the matter based on an interim report the ministry is in possession of.