More training for REOs -to ensure spending in accordance with the law

DPI, GUYANA, Friday, March 30, 2018

The Government of Guyana has recognised the need for additional training of Regional Executive Officers (REOs) and will continue to pursue this avenue to ensure that these authorities manage their regional resources in accordance with the Public Procurement Act.

This is according to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who was speaking on Thursday, March 29, during a post-Cabinet press conference. He was responding to a concern highlighted by the media regarding reports from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which show flaws in the budgetary spending at the regional executive level.

According to Minister Harmon, since assuming office this administration has hosted numerous training sessions with REOs at the level of the Ministry of the Presidency and Ministries of Finance and Communities.

Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan has continually emphasised the need for the REOs to operate within the boundaries of the law.

The State Minister said the government is not discounting the importance of the REOs operating within the stipulations of the law, however, he pointed out that some actions are based on misinterpretation.

“I do not know that there has been any bad faith in what the REO is probably thinking of doing but he felt since I had a saving here, I can apply it there, when in fact that is not the way the law functions,” Minister Harmon explained.

According to the State Minister, the “little aberrations” now being reported by the PAC were happening prior to 2015.

“The same Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Chair and so on in that Committee under the previous administration, several violations were found at that time. There were contracts for vehicles at the Ministry of Tourism and so on that people didn’t know where these contracts went,” he pointed out.

By: Stacy Carmichael