Hururu wants village accounts audited before election

Dear Editor,

It is alleged that Toshao Winsbert Benjamin and others recently visited the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs where it was revealed that no audit will be done at Hururu before the Toshao and councillors’ election set for July 20.

Many residents of Hururu have concerns and questions over the financial accountability of the present village council and are anxiously awaiting the audit and report. The last audit was done in March 2012 before the Toshao and councillors’ elections and when Mr Herman Williams was Toshao at that time the village council was earning monthly fees of $2.3M paid by the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) for use of a road and Kurubuka Mines. At present the village council is earning $3.45M in monthly fees from BCGI.

With these large sums handled by the village council it is imperative that an audit be done before any elections are held.

Given the APNU+AFC government’s auditing of its various ministries, corporations, etc, it is expected that the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs will follow suit. Furthermore, the Amerindian Act 2006 stipulates that the Minister shall arrange a general audit, financial and documentary, not less than three months before the date of village council elections.

Yours faithfully,
Micah Williams