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As investigations continue into the alleged maladministration and financial records of the Mayor and City Council (MCC) that was brought to the attention of the Local Government Ministry, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government, Norman Whittaker, has expressed dissatisfaction with the responses thus far from the senior staff involved in the matter.Reports are that the City Treasurer,J. T. Barrett Ohio State Jersey, Andrew Meredith, with the approval of Town Clerk,Ezekiel Elliott Ohio State Jersey, Yonette Pluck-Cort, paid incentives to the Treasurer Department’s staff in addition to their salaries; while neglecting to pay nine Drainage and Sanitation workers their salaries in time for the Christmas weekend.“We spoke with the Town Clerk and we also wrote the Town Clerk seeking some specific details which included a verification that indeed sums of money or a sum of money was paid to specific categories of workers as an incentive,Cheap Jerseys China, and two, the authority for the payment of this money,” said Minister Whittaker.Norman WhittakerAccording to the Minister, one of the Ministry’s officers was in contact with the Town Clerk and it was expected that by the end of Wednesday, last, the Local Government Ministry would have in its possession a written response from the Council.However,Ryan Broyles Oklahoma Jersey, up to Friday last this had not been manifested.‘We haven’t gotten the written response; instead I got a file with a set of things. All I’m seeing here is a file with minutes of a set of meetings. It has been confirmed that incentives were paid out and I asked them to attach a list of the people who were paid. I see there is no list, unless the list is somewhere in this file of minutes. I have to read through it to see. What is most important to me is whether they had the authority to make the payments. That I have to find out,” said Whittaker.“These are our officers who have been there for some time, with some experience and they should be working under some authority. I don’t want to presume anything. But the oral response suggests that there is some authority under which the payments were made but we want to see it in black and white so to speak.”In a letter penned to the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, and Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, the MCC’s Senior Councillor, Patricia Greene stated, “The Town Clerk and City Treasurer paid incentives in excess of $1M out of funds belonging to the Georgetown Municipality, without the express requisite authorization and permission of the Council.”She emphasized that from that amount, the Town Clerk, City Treasurer and Budget Manager received substantial sums. It is unknown how much was paid to members of staff.In addition, Meredith failed to inform Councillors of the formula used to determine how much incentives would be paid to each category of staff.She pointed out that this act of indiscretion by the seniors fits into a worrying pattern, which has developed over time,Sam Bradford Oklahoma Jersey, claiming that “In particular, the Town Clerk,Wholesale China Jerseys, City Treasurer and City Engineer believe they can do as they want without considering Council.”Yonette Pluck-Cort“Several Statutory Meetings ago,Brandon Weeden Oklahoma State Jersey, the Council had asked the Treasurer to present a written financial report on Council’s financial status at every Statutory Meeting. This has not happened. As a result,Buddy Hield Oklahoma Jersey, Councillors do not really know the true financial position of the Municipality,Eddie George Ohio State Jersey,” Ms Greene stated. |
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