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Former Member

City Council can’t find assets register – Last document produced 13 years ago

Oct 30, 2019 News, Source -- https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...oduced-13-years-ago/

Officers of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, (M&CC) came under fire yesterday over the disappearance of an assets register.

The register was requested by the Local Government Commission, (LGC) several weeks ago. The LGC had given the Council until October 26, 2019 to submit the documents. The Council had requested an extension of the deadline.

However Acting Town Clerk, Sherry Jerrick told the Council yesterday that there has been reluctance on the part of the others to comply with the request.

Jerrick said that she had informed the officers responsible for putting the register together of the request but she has received no word from them since.

The acting Town Clerk raised the issue during a meeting of councillors of Georgetown at City Hall yesterday.

Jerrick noted that she wanted to make it clear that she will not be taking responsibility for the non- compliance of the LGC’s request.

Jerrick explained that the Commission had granted City Hall more time to submit the information but by now the assets register should be complete. Adding to Jerrick’s comments, Councillor Denroy Tudor told the gathering that recommendations were made on how to proceed with the matter.

“Whether the recommendations were put into action is another matter,” Tudor added.

Other Councillors said that the officers that were given the responsibility to make up the register should respond.

However, when called upon to give an update as to the status of the register, internal auditor Omodele Umoja-Newton, told the Council that she is not aware of any asset register.

“I have never seen an asset register since working here,” Umoja-Newton said, adding that she has only conducted an inventory on the number of tables, chairs and other items in the various departments.

“And those are not the immovable/ fixed assets,” she stressed.

Given Umoja-Newton’s response, Councillor Ivelaw Henry noted that the responsibility for putting together a fixed asset should sit with City treasurer, John Douglas.

Mayor Ubraj Narine who chaired the meeting agreed but cautioned that the Council should have that document in order.

“We need to know how many vehicles we have. What is working and what is not working.” The mayor noted.

He revealed that since taking office, he has not seen any transport, title or MOUs for the assets that the Council owns.

“I had requested an asset register. The one I received was produced in 2006. That was years ago, that register needs to be updated.”

Towards the end of the meeting, the council agreed that the Town Clerk, City Treasurer and the auditor should meet and decide on the way forward.

Failure to do so, the councillors warned could result in the officers facing sanctions.

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