Transparency Group roasts Government over keeping GPL Acting CEO on the job

"TIGI denounces the cavalier treatment by the Government of this matter where instead of a thorough investigation in the face of allegations against a sitting CEO, the matter is instead quashed which appears to have the effect of averting in-depth investigation, and giving the CEO the chance to correct himself in future, if not completely absolve him from any consequences of his actions"

Transparency Group roasts Government over keeping GPL Acting CEO on the job

Transparency Institute Guyana Inc is raising concern as to why the acting CEO of the Guyana Power and Light company, Colin Welch is still on the job, even after serious allegations about giving a bidder advice, were leveled against him.

Mr. Welch has denied the allegations and the government has scrapped the original tender process and intends to start the project anew.

But the Transparency group believes a proper and thorough investigation ought to be conducted into the allegations. In a statement, the group indicated that the canceling of the original tender process is not enough.

Under the new government, senior officials have been sent on leave, in many cases without conformance to due process, on which TIGI has voiced its disapproval in the past. This is as good a case as any, for the individual to be sent on leave to facilitate an investigation but instead the public is being told that the future of Welch with the power company will be determined by the new Board.

“TIGI denounces the cavalier treatment by the Government of this matter where instead of a thorough investigation in the face of allegations against a sitting CEO, the matter is instead quashed which appears to have the effect of averting in-depth investigation, and giving the CEO the chance to correct himself in future, if not completely absolve him from any consequences of his actions”, the release said.

 The group added that it feels that the matter has not been treated with the gravity that has been meted out to other government officials facing allegations of corruption, and it believes that the acting CEO should have been sent on leave to allow a full probe into the allegations that he offered tender advice to a company that was preparing to tender for a GPL project.

Transparency Inc. stated that it has seen the new government send a number of persons home on leave to allow investigations since taking office, so it is at a loss as to why the same has not been done in this case.

“Under the new government, senior officials have been sent on leave, in many cases without conformance to due process, on which TIGI has voiced its disapproval in the past. This is as good a case as any, for the individual to be sent on leave to facilitate an investigation but instead the public is being told that the future of Welch with the power company will be determined by the new Board.”

The group wants the government to be reminded that GPL is a major public entity and the Minister must understand that transparency is expected of and from him as proper conduct is expected from the CEO.

“TIGI therefore calls on the Minister to disclose to the public the report on the investigations so that the public can decide whether or not an independent review is required”.

 

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