Confusion surrounds disappearance of equipment from National Track and Field Centre

Jun 21, 2017 Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....ck-and-field-centre/

Confusion surrounds who should accept the responsibility for the disappearance of equipment that included a Seiko Track and Field Electronic System and Start Gun RG valued at US$2, 985 and US$159 respectively from the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.
The revelation of the disappearance of the items was only brought to the fore on Monday at the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) following a 2015 report from the Audit Office that there is no evidence that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCY&S) received the equipment.
A police report on the missing items was presented to the Audit Office in April this year. PAC Chairman, Irfaan Ali sought on Monday to ascertain whether the Ministry received the items and as such Permanent Secretary, Melissa Tucker was asked for confirmation.
However, Tucker indicated that she was not in possession of the necessary documentation, which could have been as a result of the fact that she was not the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry at the time of the Audit Report. Alfred King was the Permanent Secretary then.
In the PAC meeting, Tucker asked the Supplies Officer at the Department, Mr. Haywood to offer some clarity as to the whereabouts of the missing items. He said that contrary to the Audit Report the Department received the items.
“The articles were received at the synthetic track. There were no stores. I received the items,” he said. The Supplies Officer explained that the equipment was supplied to the Synthetic Track and Field Centre in a container where they were stored.
Haywood admitted that the only items missing from the container is the Seiko Electronic System and Start Gun. King then revealed that two officers were appointed to report on the equipment in the container, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Steve Ninvalle and Haywood.
But PAC member, Juan Edghill questioned why the items, if received, were never entered into an assets register. King reportedly blamed his subordinates. “At this time I can only say it was some level of delinquency,” King indicated.

King’s evasion of the issue attracted the attention of PAC member and Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, who indicated that the system allows for supervisory checks and balances when stocks are received as opposed to verification at just the Stores Officer level.
Lawrence asked King, who was the PS during that time, when the stock count of the container in question was done and he informed that it was done during May-June 2016 after the equipment was received in February that same year. But more confusion arose when Haywood corrected the Permanent Secretary, who is now at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs.
Haywood indicated that the equipment arrived late 2014 or early 2015. Haywood said that it was the Store Room at the Synthetic Facility that was set up in June or July 2015. He said the items at the time were taken into the stores then and a caretaker, Mr. October signed as receiving all items.
But as far as Minister Lawrence is concerned, the conduct of Officers of the State on this issue is cause for concern. She indicated that there is often little or no concern for the security of billions of dollars spent on items.
According to the Audit Report, the Seiko Track and Field Electronic System and Start Gun RG, though purchased, disappeared.