Sunday April 03, 2016
Kaieteur News
Bartica gets first Mayor, Deputy
Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall
Deputy Mayor of Bartica, Kamal Persaud.
Gifford Marshall was elected the first Mayor of the Bartica Mayor and Town Council, with Kamal Persaud being elected Deputy Mayor. They were sworn in on Friday by the Assistant Town Clerk of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Sherry Jerrick, along with the 16 other councillors. The ceremony took place at the Bartica Community Centre Ground in the presence of Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael
Trotman, along with other government officials. Scores of residents were also present. The 14 A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU + AFC ) Councillors that were sworn in were Kenneth Williams, Carmel Williams, Lennox Lyte-Rankin, Mark Ambrose, Harry Ramjag, Gifford Marshall, Nageshwari Kamal Persaud, June Shurland, Lloyd Garraway, Hazel Allicock, Stanley Dutchin, Orin Griffith, Deborah Browne and Ivor Melville.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s George Porter, Sonia Simmons, and Jasmattie Moungla were also sworn in, along with the lone Bartica Independent Green Alliance (BIGA) Councillor, Juretha Fernandes. Minutes after the councillors were sworn in, APNU+AFC Lyte-Rankin nominated Marshall for the position of Mayor. Unopposed, the nomination was seconded by Garraway. Deputy Mayor Persaud was also unanimously elected.
From page 11 Chief Executive Officer is Ramesh Ghir. Management’s response had been that the matter was discussed at the Board and Ministerial levels. Management also said that it was agreed that the then Ministry of Public Works, would implement an internal audit committee whose scope would entail all of the agencies falling under the Ministry. “This committee was established and CJIAC was audited by the internal auditors in 2014. Additionally, CJIAC Accounts Department carries out a number of independent audits and management is confident that system of internal controls is effective. “Nevertheless this issue will be addressed with the new Board of Directors,” had been management’s response. However, the auditor has completely debunked this response from management, affirming that the response was misleading. In her report, she emphasised that the Audit Committee is separate from the Internal Audit Department and serves its own purpose.
“The Audit Committee does not carry out audits,” the auditor observed. “The Internal Audit Department of the Works Services Group of the Ministry is assigned to carry out audits for that Department and are part of that management team.” “The CJIAC and the Ministry of Public Work are two separate entities and (they) need to have their own Internal Audit Department. Internal Auditors form part of the Management team and provide a number of important services to an organization.” The auditor noted that these regular functions include detecting and preventing fraud, testing internal control, and monitoring compliance with company policy and government regulations. “Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations,” the auditor pointed out. “It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic,
disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes’ as defined by the Institute of Internal Auditors Inc.” The forensic auditor also observed that the Accounts Department cannot carry out independent audits since their functions are accounting and they have a responsibility to examine all transactions and adhere to proper internal controls. In its recommendations, the auditor made it clear that Management should include in its Organization Structure an Internal Audit Function and make efforts to have an Internal Audit Department. It was noted that this will add value to the management of CJIAC. The lack of an internal audit department comes against the backdrop of other revelations in the audit, including findings of fraud committed by a contractor in 2012 who, despite being reported to the police, was never blacklisted by authorities and went on to secure numerous other contracts.
CJIA has been operating without internal audit ...
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‘Jim Carrey’ detained for Linden bus driver’s execution An Albouystown resident with a previous armed robbery charge has been identified as the gunman who executed bus driver, Elvin Lorrimer, at the Linden bus park two Mondays ago. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that the suspect, also know as ‘Jim Carrey,’ was taken into custody yesterday. He has reportedly denied killing Lorrimer. Kaieteur News understands that police have a statement from an eyewitness who claimed to have seen the suspect and another man ride up to Lorrimer at the bus park. ‘Jim Carrey’, who was the pillion rider, reportedly dismounted and shot Lorrimer. The gunman reportedly then stood over the fallen driver and pumped more bullets into his victim. The killer reportedly then ‘tapped’ the body of his mortally wounded victim before fleeing the scene.
Police are said to be checking on several motives for the execution-style killing. Lorrimer, 53, of 184 Carter Road, Kara Kara, Linden, was standing on Hadfield Street, near the Linden Bus Park, around 21.00 hrs, when two men rode up on a motorcycle. One of them discharged rounds at Lorrimer, before riding away with his accomplice. The victim was hit to his chest and left foot. He was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he succumbed four hours later. Police said that Lorrimer’s money and jewellery were untouched. “Based on what we were told, he was their target, and this was not a robbery,” a police official told Kaieteur News. “What has us baffled is that he was also a pastor. Why would someone want to kill him?” An eyewitness had told Kaieteur News that one of the
killers was brown in complexion while his accomplice was faircomplexioned. They reportedly both wore dark clothing and their CG motorcycle reportedly had no licence plates. According to eyewitness reports, the men rode up to Lorrimer and the pillion rider immediately shot the bus driver. There are reports that the gunman rifled through Lorrimer’s pockets as he lay on the roadway before escaping with his accomplice. Lorrimer’s distraught wife said that the father of four has been working as a minibus driver for some 18 years. He was also a pastor who had a church at Moblissa, on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.