GDF faces tough questioning by PAC on spending on maintenance of vehicles

Commander Vernon Burnett of the GDF who was facing most of the questions agreed that “additional time will definitely give us an opportunity to peruse all additional documents and even in the case, a meeting with the state auditors who prepare the audit and maybe that will put us in a better position to provide more clarity to these concerns and questions”.

GDF faces tough questioning by PAC on spending on maintenance of vehicles

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was unable to provide adequate information to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when an eleven member team appeared before the Committee this morning for the examination of the 2016 Auditor-General Report for the agency.

The GDF will now have to return before the PAC at a later date when the examination of spending by the Force will continue.

It was the Chairman of the PAC, Opposition Member David Patterson who recommended that consultations be held between the staff of the GDF and the Auditor General’s Office aimed at assisting the GDF to better provide answers to questions from the committee.

The Chairman, said, the committee was not fully satisfied with the responses that were coming from the GDF for spending from 2016.

Commander Vernon Burnett of the GDF who was facing most of the questions agreed that “additional time will definitely give us an opportunity to peruse all additional documents and even in the case, a meeting with the state auditors who prepare the audit and maybe that will put us in a better position to provide more clarity to these concerns and questions”.

However, members from both sides of the PAC probed the GDF for answers into the spending of $8.531M over a one year period on a single vehicle.

According to the AG’s Report, the GDF was spending sums every month to repair a Bedford 4 ton Tipper Truck (DFB 1530) that was being used by its 4th Engineering Battalion.

In January, the GDF spent, $1.4M on the vehicle, February – $231, 580, March – $1.7M, April – $960, 400, May – $1.5M, June – $824, 000, July – $943, 200, August – $10, 000, September – $236, 800, October – $379, 500, November – $75, 800, December $128, 600.  

But, Commander Burnett stated that the high cost stemmed from major repairs done and might have been the replacement of an engine.

The high cost of maintenance was a concern for everyone at the meeting.

In that very year, the sum of $239.659M was expended on repairs and maintenance to sixty-four vehicles. It was also noted that the average cost to repair and maintain each vehicle was in excess of $3.744M.   

But, Commander Burnett said the total sum would have been expended overtime with major repairs being on the force’s pick up fleet.

The GDF has in-house maintenance and prequalified contractors. The need for fleet replacement in a timely manner was highlighted during the meeting.

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