The Local Government Commission today announced the dismissal of seven employees of the Georgetown City Council who were all attached to the Treasury Department.

According to a statement from the Commission, those who were fired held positions of clerks, tax collection officer, cashier and tax collection supervisor.

The Commission said the dismissals are in response to the City Council officially notifying the Local Government Commission of suspected financial irregularities which surfaced within the City Treasurer’s Department.

It was explained by the Commission that an investigation of the allegations revealed that the seven workers who have been dismissed were direct participants in fraudulent financial activities and had breached their duties to the City Council.

The dismissals took effect from the 2nd of November.

But during a press conference today, City Mayor Ubraj Narine said he believes the firings are meant to cripple the work of the city council.

“The Council never made this decision but we find that the Local Government Commission wants to cripple this Council and the first place they are attacking is the entire treasury department. All of these staff have been fired and they have even demoted Mr. John Douglas as City Treasurer acting to Budget Management, professional people we are speaking of and who have advised this Council on the budget since 2019”, the Mayor said.

The Mayor said the issue that led to the firing of the workers was already addressed by the Council professionally and therefore the workers should not have been punished twice for the same issue.

The Mayor also expressed concern that the recently appointed Acting Town Clerk did not bother to make any representation on behalf of the workers.

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