July 20 ,2021
The issue of overpayment once again consumed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament yesterday after both the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Guyana Police Force related having to recover significant sums which were overpaid in 2016.
According to the Auditor General’s (AG) 2016 report, physical verification of repairs and maintenance works at Ward 2 of the Palms Geriatric Institution found overpayments of $366,788.
The same report explained that the contractor agreed to do corrective works to the tune of $19,000 and repay the balance in four monthly installments commencing 25 September 2017. These repayments were made and the AG has advised that the ministry take action to prevent a recurrence.
Asked to explain what systems have been put in place, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Shannielle Hoosein-Outar told the PAC that all works are now verified by an engineer and superintendent of works.
She explained that in 2016 there was no engineer on staff and the superintendent of works, who still holds the post, completed the verification alone. It was found that he had “signed off” on work which had not been done.
This revelation prompted Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill to question whether the superintendent was neglectful in the execution of his duties.
“Overpayments is not something that just happens, it could only come if there is carelessness or collusion,” Edghill declared while Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira reminded that the action could be considered the falsification of records which is a crime.
The Minister of Public Works went on to question the “payment plan” agreed with the contractor declaring that the overpayments seem to have been treated as a loan.
“I now want to know if the contractor was given work during this period…if he was given work to repay this loan,” Edghill added, before demanding to know whether disciplinary action was taken against the superintendent of works.
PS Hoosein-Outar said she did not know but promised to provide an update within a week on both questions.
When the GPF appeared before the committee they, too, reported on overpayments. In that case a total of $2.264 million in overpaid salaries in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Deputy Commissioner Administration Calvin Brutus explained that the GPF has circulated a memo to Commanders to request information relating to those ranks who have absconded or been terminated be transmitted to the finance department of the force in a timely manner.
Edghill said that this matter is a recurring issue and that it had been agreed that termination letters would be simultaneously dispatched to ranks and the finance department.
Brutus noted that while this should be the practice, breaches remain systemic requiring that warning letters be dispatched.
