NDIA’s CEO goes on voluntary vacation; not worried about audit
, [www.inewsguyana.com], Source
Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth has confirmed that he will be proceeding on accumulated vacation leave of 308 days commencing on Tuesday, July 07.
He says this was done voluntarily to facilitate an on-going audit of the NDIA and is much welcomed after he failed to garner any substantial leave for several years.
Wordsworth says he is not worried about the impending findings of the audit and while on leave, he will be available to provide any clarification and information required.
In response to reports about delayed projects at the NDIA, he admitted his dissatisfaction with the non-performance of some suppliers and contractors. He further indicated that, it was him as the CEO who conducted performance factory testing overseas on the Surendra Pumps and stood his professional ground and reject components of the pumps that were not compliant to specifications and due to this, the supplier had to re-manufacture those components that resulted in delays.
Due to non-performance and non-supply of spares, the NDIA terminated the contract in 2014. Regarding the delay in the completion of the Hope Canal, he said this largely has to do with the contractor for the eight-gate high level discharge sluice. At every project progress evaluation meeting, the findings and report on this project has always been given to the Ministry of Agriculture, he pointed out.
It should be noted that the Auditor General recently conducted a complete audit on the allegations made by NDIA former field auditor and has cleared those against the NDIA Head, contrary to reports in sections of the media, according to a former NDIA Board Director.
Meanwhile, the CEO is expected to return to active duty following the completion of his entitled vacation leave. Also, the entity is one of the many agencies being audited by the new government.