GWI Board swamped with complaints from Managers about CEO and alleged breaches

The Board of the Guyana Water Incorporated has decided to open an investigation into the management of the state-owned company by its Chief Executive Office, Dr. Richard Van West Charles.

News Source understands that the board made the decision to launch the probe at a meeting on Tuesday and in wake of the recent revelations about the hiring of a number of top officials at the company by Dr. Van West Charles.

One of those managers was recently fired by the company after it was found that he was hired by the CEO, although he did not possess the qualifications for the job.

A GWI official close to the board, revealed to News Source that a number of managers have provided official complaints to the board about Dr. Van West Charles and his way of running the company.

Among the complaints is that he breached the company’s human resources policy and usurped the powers of the Board by hiring his friends and associates under consultancies at GWI and on the GWI employment roll

Some managers are concerned that the recently hired persons are being paid super salaries.

There is also the concern that the CEO may have ursurped the power of the Board Tender Committee by sole sourcing procurement of work to another another person that he may be familiar with.

The Board also heard about the CEO’s decision to transfer the Director of Procurement, Aubrey Roberts, to another department for no clear reason. The Board made a decision to reverse that decision.

The Board also received evidence which points to the public being provided with incorrect data about GWI’s debt collection, with the figure being much lower than the one which was released.

GWI’s Chief Internal Auditor is expected to hand a report in to the Board. Some Board members were pushing for Dr. Van West Charles to be sent on administrative leave during the probe. However, that was not agreed upon.

The Board is expected to meet with the CEO soon on the concerns raised.