Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Former chairman of the recently established Siparia Borough Corporation Dinesh Sankersingh has raised concerns about alleged illegal hiring practices.
At a news conference yesterday, he called on Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi to actively address ongoing issues at the Corporation, including the alleged misappropriation of $300,000 and lack of progress with police investigations into that matter.
“I am yet to be interviewed by the police and I am yet to get concrete information as to the status of this investigation and if the money will be returned to the Corporation,” he said.
Sankersingh said there is a need for effective communication between the CEO, Permanent Secretary, and Council as well as fair and equitable distribution of resources.
“The CEO is not fulfilling the work directed by the Council. Several decisions have been made to hire individuals in the absence of a fully constituted Council,” he said.
Sankeeringh listed failed equipment, inadequate supplies hampering work progress, and an overall breakdown in communication as the main issues affecting the Corporation.
Opposition MP Khadijah Ameen asked about the source of funding for ongoing works at the San Fernando City Corporation although the Council is dissolved and urged Al-Rawi to ensure accountability and prevent CEOs from acting independently without Council input.
On the issue of local government reform and procurement legislation, Ameen said she is dissatisfied with the lack of communication from the minister.
“We are calling on the Minister of Local Government to maintain accountability where the CEO is concerned because, in the absence of a sitting Council, we cannot have the CEOs becoming a law unto themselves and doing things that do not have the input of the Council,” she said.
“Where funding and development is concerned, the Government has been on the platform saying they have made Siparia a borough but the minister has not communicated a way forward as it relates to local government reform because nothing is in place in any Corporation for reform,” she added.
Ameen said under the procurement legislation there is no clear roadmap for reform but smaller contractors will be disadvantaged as larger contractors with better resources can dominate under the new arrangement.
Former councillor Doodnath Mayrhoo spoke about operational challenges at the Siparia Borough Corporation. He pointed to heaps of material ordered by councillors that had been left unused due to a breakdown of equipment and vehicles.
“This material has been languishing for three months now while people have been suffering from bad roads throughout the region. We have no transportation because five out of six trucks are down and only one backhoe is operational,” he said.