A senior official attached to the Johns-Port Mourant Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has been accused of issuing receipts from a private receipt book and the funds collected are not showing up in the NDC’s account.
This publication understands that the matter has since been brought to the attention of the NDC Chairman and councillors.
Reports are that in November 2023, the senior official took up the position at the NDC after the acting overseer had resigned over allegations of corruption.
In December 2023, the NDC then found out that the new senior official had been issuing receipts for monies collected from residents, who were seeking no-objection letters from the NDC for projects.
The official allegedly told the council that no system was in place for the entity to garner revenue for the issuance of those letters and sum of money will be collected for each such letter issued.
However, at the December Statutory meeting the official was told that the NDC had systems in place and was charging $5000 for those letters. The official was then ordered by the other NDC members to immediately stop using the private cash receipt book.
Nevertheless, earlier this month a resident who had applied for a no-objection letter had to return to the NDC because of an error on the letter.
It was then that they were made aware that the residence was issued with a receipt from a private cash receipt book and the money he paid for the letter was not reflected in the NDC’s account. However, this newspaper was told that the NDC was informed that indeed the money was collected and was spent for NDC purposes.
Meanwhile, an auditor was called in but not by the NDC. The auditor was given information about the private cash receipt book.
NDC records, this publication was told, showed an increase in travelling allowance for the senior official along with monthly charge for taxi services from a relative.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Chairman of Johns-Port Mourant NDC, said the NDC was handling the matter and would discuss it at an emergency meeting.
However, when asked about the matter, Regional Chairman David Armogan said it is not an issue for the RDC but rather the Local Government Commission.
This is not the first time that the Johns-Port Mourant NDC has been having issues in relation to accountability.
In November 2020, the then overseer was fired over accounted money.
In June 2023, the previous overseer was fired for a second time, on claims of alleged abuse and fraud.
The overseer was previously dismissed from the NDC, but was rehired under the caretaker Coalition Administration. She was subsequently suspended after her reappointment, but the Communities Ministry again intervened and overturned the suspension.
In March 2023, the then acting overseer had purchased a lorry with funds from the NDC subvention and had the lorry registered in his name and in September 2023, the acting overseer was involved in alleged fake employment of government 10-day part-time workers. The workers were unaware that they were employed with the NDC. The overseer allegedly pocketed their salaries.
The then overseer subsequently resigned.
