4 suspended over City Hall ‘money bag’ found in vehicle

The Local Government Commission (LGC) has endorsed a recommendation to have disciplinary measures taken against several officers at City Hall after monies belonging to the Council were found in a bag in one of the entity’s vehicles. According to reports, on June 20, 2019, a bag with revenues collected from Bourda Market was found in a vehicle inside City Hall’s compound. At the time, the bank drop had already been made and the bag with the money was not deposited as was required.

On Monday during a statutory meeting, acting Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick said that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding the handling of the city’s funds were breached.
Those suspended were: City Treasurer John Douglas (one month), Iva Bryan (two months), Sonia Pit (three weeks), and Yolanda Forde (one month). Meanwhile, Clerk of Markets Sherlock Lovell along with Felicia McRae were issued warning letters.
This decision came in light of recommendations by the LGC after a bag of cash was found in the vehicle of the then Chief Constable, Andrew Foo and monies were missing from the Bourda Market.
According to reports, the monies were supposed to be deposited in the bank on behalf of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), however, a staff of the Council found the bag of cash bearing the M&CC seal in the vehicle of the Chief Constable.

A complaint was lodged at the LGC and an investigation was launched. During the investigation, the Commission found that Foo along with officers had breached the standard operating procedure.
It stated that the Chief Constable’s inaction included, but were not limited to, his failure to formulate and implement a modern security plan to guard the Council’s assets; his continued failure to adhere to the Council’s decisions with respect to the acting appointment of the Deputy Chief Constable; his continued unwillingness to work with the Council to ensure that there were order and peace both within the Council and on the streets of Georgetown; and his failure to effectively supervise the Council’s constabulary, which had been the subject of public ridicule.
However, last week the Commission confirmed that investigations have been completed and recommendations have been made for some officers attached to the Council to be disciplined.