Audit recommended for several Berbice NDCs

Discrepancies discovered at several Neighbourhood Democratic Councils across Region Six (East Berbice) has sparked recommendations for financial audits to be conducted.
At yesterday’s Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) monthly statutory meeting, Regional Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Local Government Committee, Zamal Hussain, while presenting the Local Government Committee report asked that “an urgent financial audit” be executed.
The basis for the recommendation made was premised on several discrepancies that were uncovered at the NDCs.

He recommended that audits be done at the Maida/Tarlogie, Bushlot/Adventure, Kintyre/ Borlam, Port Mourant/Johns and the Gibralter/Fyrish NDCs.
Speaking with the media after the meeting, Hussain disclosed that he is in possession of evidence showing “financial misconduct and irregularities” and it is in that regard that he is asking that the region take the necessary steps “because they oversee the finances of these NDCs”.
Hussain is expecting that the Audit Department of the Regional Democratic Council to “conduct a comprehensive audit of these NDCs”.

He added that he will not release the evidence in his possession until the audit is completed.
He also stated that there have been several reports against the NDCs mentioned and that was also another reason for his recommendations.
The LGC Chairman and VC stressed the importance of the region being aware of what transpires in the NDCs. He therefore further recommended that there be a rotation of overseers.
“…we are asking that consideration be made in terms of rotation of overseers. Some of them have been very comfortable and that is one of the reasons why we end up in serious problems…,” he stressed.
Hussain also asked that all payment vouchers be lodged at the Local Government Department so that records could be kept of them.

“A copy should be lodged at the Local Government Department because whenever checking has to be done, it doesn’t match the records. One of the examples is at Port Mourant (NDC) because when we go back, the records aren’t there. So we need to ensure that we have records of the checks and balances”, Hussain said.

All councilors from the APNU/AFC and PPP/C supported the recommendations made.
Just recently, the Port Mourant/John’s NDC overseer was fired after there were instances of financial fraud unearthed at the NDC.
Receipts did not correspond with the records’ book. The previous overseer for that NDC was also fired months before over allegations of a similar nature.