The acting Overseer of the Johns/Port Mourant Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is being investigated for alleged misappropriation of public funds.
It was only in June 2020 that the then substantive Overseer, Budwatty Ramnarine, was fired, for a second time, over claims of abuse and fraud.
According to documents seen by this publication, several receipts issued to stallholders do not have matching figures on the duplicate which is retained in the receipt book.
Similar discoveries were made in the receipt book in which payments for property taxes are recorded. When compared with the original receipts issued to the property holder, some inaccuracies were discovered.
In one instance, on October 13, 2020, Davindranauth Jeewth reportedly paid $7782 in property taxes for the years 2017 through 2020.
On the duplicate receipt, there is what appears to be an alteration, with a line drawn across 2017, 2018 and 2019. There was also an alteration to the amount received.
The sum of $1875 is recorded instead. When questioned by Vice Chairman, Imran Ally, about the missing $5907, no answer was provided by the Overseer.
This publication was also provided with copies of receipts that suggest the receipts issued to vendors at the Port Mourant Market had the duplicate altered as well. Also, the amount recorded on the ledger did not match the amount on the vendors’ receipts.
Following an initial investigation conducted by the Vice Chairman and other Councillors, the Overseer was asked to provide answers the following day.
However, that day she reported to the Council that the ledger, which was the basis on which some of the accusations were being made against her, had gone missing.
The Council asked then the Overseer to report the missing ledger to the police and she did.
Meanwhile, the Council held an emergency meeting last week, where a decision was taken to dismiss the Overseer with immediate effect in accordance with the Public Service Rules.
At the time, the Overseer was on leave and was not present at the meeting.
Back in June, the previous NDC Overseer was fired, for the second time, over claims of abuse and fraud.
Since then, this current Overseer, who had held another position at the NDC, had been acting as the Overseer.
With the firing of this second Overseer, there is currently no staff at the Johns/Port Mourant NDC.
This publication understands that the NDC office is only opened in the afternoons when the Councillors are available.
