…option was to resign or be a rubber stamp – Hinds
Rather than being a rubber stamp, Chairman Nigel Hinds, has resigned from the Board of Directors at the Guyana Water Incorporated, owing to irreparable differences that have developed between himself and the entity’s Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles.
Chairman of GWI Board of Directors Nigel Hinds
Hinds on Friday confirmed that his resignation letter has been submitted to the Minister with responsibility for the sector, Ronald Bulkan.
During a brief interview with Guyana Times, Hinds said Dr Van West-Charles currently lacks credibility and described the entity’s Managing Director as pernicious and a person who abuses his authority at the water utility.
Hinds told this publication that by his actions, he has opted to give the Executive and management some leverage in their future dealings with the entity’s Managing Director.
He was adamant that Dr Van West-Charles currently lacks integrity and credibility regardless of “whichever party he belongs to.”
Hinds in his letter – a copy of which was seen by this publication – to
the Communities Minister, said “I cannot perform in the best interest of GWI, GWI staff, GWI shareholders and other stakeholders of GWI – as a rubber stamp Chairman of GWI… thus, my resignation.”
According to Hinds in his resignation letter, “It is with a deep sense of regret that I resign as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Guyana Water Inc (GWI) with effect from October 26, 2016.”
Hinds, was recently challenged when he moved a motion at the level of the Board to have the Managing Director sent on leave pending an investigation into his abuse of powers among a litany of complaints.
The internal fighting between Dr VanWest-Charles and the Board of Directors came about following complaints related to numerous infractions and changes at the utility entity that had been instituted by him.
The entity’s Internal Audit Department (IAD) has since launched an investigation into an abuse of authority by the entity’s Managing Director.
The auditors have also recommended that many of the changes instituted by Dr Van West-Charles be reversed.
The investigation was launched into the actions of Dr Van West-Charles after allegations had been lodged, ranging from questionable employment practices, the suppression of internal audits, and retribution against senior employees, among a host of other infractions.
Auditors
With regards to the employment practices of the Managing Director, the entity’s Internal Audit Department (IAD) found that in instances there were no justification for consultants hired and that a position had in fact been created to facilitate the employment of an ‘unqualified’ Lear Goring.
Goring – since fired – was employed as a Debt Recovery Manager but did not have the minimum qualifications for the post and was being paid monthly $263,000 in addition to a $20,000 allowance.
Another of the hired consultants that attracted the attention of GWI’s IAD was a Billing Consultant employed by Dr Van West-Charles, on a temporary contract with a monthly starting salary of $525,000.
Also, the media recently reported that sole sourcing at GWI skyrocketed by as much as 850 per cent under the guise of Dr VanWest-Charles after the dismantling of the entity’s procurement department.
He was also accused of dismantling of the Procurement Department.
The Internal Auditors have since recommended an urgent review of GWI’s policies and procedures at all operational areas to reflect modern practices and the structural changes recently made.
