Both Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Irfaan Ali and Permanent Secretary of the Communities Ministry Emile McGarrell yesterday expressed concerns over the performance of regional engineers, with the former accusing them of bypassing financial laws and “manipulating” the system.
At the time, the committee was examining the accounts of the Region Four administration, particularly what was pegged by the Auditor General (AG) as a $3.69 million overpayment on a contract for the Tucville Community Ground Enhancement Project.
However, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Pauline Lucas related that the discrepancy was due to a change of scope in the project and she noted that the proper protocol had not been followed at the time for making the adjustment.
