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– all matters will be placed with the policeThe Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has warned that misappropriation of public funds by Regional authorities will not be tolerated.This is according to Norman Whittaker, Junior Local Government Minister, who related that leaders of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and Municipalities would be placed before the court once monies are misappropriated.Minister Norman WhittakerHe said the Ministry is intensifying its programme of monitoring and checking records at NDCs and Municipalities. Currently, focus is being placed on the NDCs to ensure systems are being followed, proper record keeping and accountability.“Since we can’t do all the NDCs at the same time,China Adidas Hockey Jerseys, we do take decisions as to which ones we would ask our officers to target. In the process we have encountered some irregularities, where Overseers would have misappropriated what were essentially public funds,” he said.Making reference to several instances where funds were found to be misappropriated,Cheap Jerseys From China, he said at Unity NDC, Mahaica, the overseer, Mohamed Shahabudeen, was dismissed for misusing funds. “We did indicate to him that it did not mean that we could not take other recourse. In fact, that matter has been put in the hands of the police.”In September last, the Overseer reportedly misused $1.5M belonging to the NDC and was placed in the Cove and John lock-ups almost immediately after an audit revealed that the money was missing.The man had admitted taking the money and had planned to replace it before the audit exposed his plan.Meanwhile, the Overseer of Beterverwagting/Triumph NDC, who did not acknowledge misusing funds, was suspended, Whittaker said. However,Wholesale Jerseys China, that matter too is in the hands of the police.One of the most tiring misappropriation cases the Ministry encountered was that of the Grove/Diamond NDC. The Minister emphasized that that was a case he inherited when he first came to the Ministry.He said that the person acknowledged misappropriating the funds at a very early stage of the investigations,cheap jerseys, saving the Ministry a lot of time and resources in carrying out various checks. The money was repaid and essentially, the Ministry was very concerned about being repaid.“What we wanted was the funds back. But, since that time, all matters of misappropriation that we have discovered,NFL Jerseys China, we have summoned the Auditor General to do a further checks and place it in the hands of the police,” he said.The Minister did not mention the fraud at Eccles/Ramsburg NDC,NFL Jerseys 2018, which also engaged the attention of the police. In March 2013, Minister of Local Government, Ganga Persaud told reporters that attempts were made to contact the overseer, Raul Kissoon, with police even turning up at his city home.Kissoon disappeared in January after just a few months on the job. He allegedly misappropriated $4.5M, representing rates and taxes paid by residents of Eccles, Bagotstown, Nandy Park and Republic Park, Peters Hall and Providence.The Office of the Auditor General was called in after NDC officials could not make contact with Kissoon and were forced to break into his office. |
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