The Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) administration is yet to regularise almost 200 of its contract employees, laying the blame for this, however, at the feet of the un-constituted Public Service Commission (PSC).
Region 3 REO Denis Jaikarran
When the Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region Three, Denis Jaikarran, appeared before the Public Accounts Commission (PAC) at the National Assembly, he provided the Commissioners with an update on the situation.
What they have been able to do, the PAC was informed, is to regularise 102 contracted persons in 2016. The regional authorities claimed that confirmation of the remaining 182 contracted employees was dependent on the PSC.
“Before the Commission went out of commission, we were able to propose persons who were on contracted employment be placed on the permanent establishment,” Jaikarran said, adding that the remaining workers were employed last year.
According to the report, “Amounts totalling $2.592 billion were expended on Employment Cost for 2016. According to the National Estimates, the Regional Administration had a staffing structure of 2165; however, the actual staff of the Regional Administration exceeded the authorised strength by 64.”
In response, the Head of the Budget Agency had indicated that the Regional Administration has already taken steps to move its employees over to the permanent system, and this process was expected to be completed by the end of October 2018.
It was recommended that the Audit Office recommends that the Regional Administration continue the process of moving staff over to the permanent system in order to minimise the number of staff employed on a contractual basis in keeping with circularised instructions.
