HAZEL: IT'S NOT IN OUR BOOKSBy Sean Douglas and Odette Loney Wednesday, August 12 2009
MINISTER of Local Government Hazel Manning is seeking the advice of Attorney General John Jeremie on whether or not it is legal for private citizens to pay government workers.
This comes after Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner announced on Monday he would donate $309,000 to pay 54 cleaners of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation (CBC) for the period of August 1 to September 31.
Sources told Newsday Warner handed in the cheque on Monday and the CBC is awaiting advice from chief executive officer William Mark to decide the method of payment.
But yesterday, Manning said the CBC received $75 million from the Ministry of Local Government to run the borough for the 2009 fiscal year and this money was used to take care of development work and the hiring of staff in the borough.
Manning said in May of this year, it was discovered the CBC had hired an excess of 200 workers, which required the Local Government Ministry to transfer funds from other areas to take care of these workers as well.
She noted, the ministry was unaware payments for 54 workers were still outstanding in this agreement with the borough and expressed concern the CBC obtained $309,000 from “a private citizen”, that is Jack Warner, to pay their wages and salaries.
“That is not in our books and what we did is to go to the Attornery General to give us some kind of guidance as to what should be done,” said Manning.
As she toured flooded communities in Claxton Bay and Tunapuna yesterday, Manning reiterated that a private “bail out” of workers was not the norm but she did not say whether Warner’s action was illegal.
A spokesman for Jeremie said he was staying mum on the matter and Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Mariano Browne, told Newsday he did not know anything about whether or not it was legal for Warner to pay the workers’ wages.
When Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday was asked to comment on Manning’s referral of the matter to the AG he said money for the 54 workers should have been released from state funds in the first place and that Warner should say where he got the money to pay them.
“Mr Warner said it was a grant, where did the money come from? Was the grant made available to Mr Warner or the corporation? These are extremely important questions,” Panday said.
When Warner heard of Manning’s decision to seek the AG’s advice on the matter he told Newsday the Government was creative and would deal with the issue in an innovative way.
“Manning is one of the more sympathetic and understanding of the ministers. I spoke to her yesterday and she told me that she will find a way to have the matter resolved,” Warner said.
The Chaguanas West MP said he is paying the salaries based on his concern for the 54 workers and he lashed out at uncaring critics.
“People are on the breadline and all of those people who do not want the salaries paid are gainfully employed,” said Warner.
Warner said Manning should seek the AG’s advice but suggested both offices should not take too long to decide on whether a private citizen could, in fact, pay the salaries.
“They should not take too long because while the grass is growing the horse is starving,” said Warner.
