Siparia Corporation CEO under fire
Trinidad and Tobago
More than a year after she took office, Chief Executive Officer of the Siparia Regional Corporation Ann Hosein has came under fire from PNM and UNC councillors who have accused her of “hiding pertinent information, failing to fill technical vacancies, taking too long to award contracts and failing to repair dysfunctional equipment.”
At the Corporation’s monthly statutory meeting on Thursday, councillor for Avocat/San Francique, Doodnath Mayrhoo asked Hosein to explain why the mid-year review report was not given to the Council before it was submitted to the Ministry of Local Government on March 17.
“How can you prepare a midyear report asking for $19, 350,143 million and not inform the council? This document is supposed to be ratified by the council and gotten council approval before it was submitted to the Ministry,” he said.
Mayrhoo also said the CEO failed to refurbish machinery.
“We have one backhoe working in this Corporation out of six. One! The excavator has been down since December last year but our CEO pursues the cutter and wacker allowance to take away $10 from female labourers who have been working for us,” Mayrhoo added.
He explained that the allowance was given to workers to purchase fuel and string following a series of increases in the price of fuel. Mayrhoo said the CEO needed to get her priorities right andcomplained that even though tenders were invited more than a month ago, it is uncertain whether any contracts were issued.
“The contractors told me they had only two days to submit tenders in the box and it is my understanding that it was opened so quickly that the Council didn’t know when it was opening. Yet that is more than a month and we do not know whether the contractors were awarded,” he said.
Mayrhoo also asked about the number of people who had been employed over the past year.
Councillor for Siparia West/Fyzabad Jason Mohammed said burgesses experienced flooding but there was no equipment to assist them as the excavator is down. In the Los Iros/Erin district, flooding also occurred and the councillor requested a vehicle but did not get any assistance.
Councillor for Cedros Shankar Teelucksingh said according to the Municipal Corporation Act, the CEO is responsible for the administration of all department heads.
“Everything has to go through her. We do not know why there is an issue with the wacker and blower allowance and why she wants to stop it. She sent a letter from the Chief Personnel Officer stating that she wants clarification on the wacker allowance and blower allowance. This allowance was passed after the increase of the gas price from $10 to $25,” Teelucksingh said.M
Hosein said the error of not bringing the mid-year review to the council was not her doing.
“It may have been an oversight on the part of the Chief Financial Officer that she did not bring it to Council before submission. When documents are signed off by the Chief Executive Officer, it is onerous on chief officers and the heads of department to bring it to the attention of the Council,” she said.
On the issue of the brush cutter allowance, Hosein said a motion was moved by the Council on the 34th Finance Planning and Allocations meeting on October 20 seeking clarification from the CPO. She also said it was not true that tenders bids were opened quickly.
“Tenders were advertised for 14 days and it was sent to council members through the Secretary’s office,” she said
Hosein denied that certain contractors were given special preference noting that the Procurement Act has been proclaimed and the Council should be cautious when making statements that are not true.
She said it was the responsibility of the Engineering Department to ensure that road-building materials are received noting: “ When the chief officers don’t perform, direct your questions to them.”
A source said the councillors are preparing a vote of no confidence against the CEO
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