Chair of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL) Board, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, cast the deciding vote to remove Sherod Duncan from his position as General Manager of the state newspaper, the Guyana Chronicle.
This was revealed in a statement by the GNNL Board yesterday which confirmed that Duncan’s services had been terminated on Tuesday. Stabroek News reported yesterday that following an hours-long meeting on Tuesday, the GNNL Board, by majority vote, dismissed Duncan from the post based on the findings of an audit into his three-month stewardship of the entity.
“All Directors who were present were of the view that the numerous breaches identified in the report in all areas under review were serious in nature and that some form of disciplinary action against the General Manager was necessary, especially given the fact that he was on probation,” the GNNL Board said in its official statement.
It noted that Duncan served as the company’s General Manager from 1st June 2018 to 2nd April 2019. His appointment took effect from the 1st June 2018 and he was on probation for a period of six months. The statement said that the decision to terminate came following a five-hour long meeting at the company’s office, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park.
During the meeting, Duncan accompanied by his legal representative, attorney James Bond, had an opportunity to provide the Board with an explanation and respond to the findings and contents of the audit report dated 18th March 2019 and additionally, to answer questions posed by Directors, the statement said.
“He was asked to show cause why he should not be disciplined in accordance with the recommendations of the report presented by the Office of the Auditor General,” it said.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had ordered a full investigation into mismanagement at the GNNL under Duncan’s tenure as General Manager between 1st June 2018 and 10th September 2018. The Board, in accordance with this directive, had enlisted the services of the Office of the Auditor General. A special audit on the overall management and governance of GNNL in the areas of financial management, human resource management and administrative management for that period was, therefore, done, the statement recounted.
It said that it is noteworthy that during the investigation, Duncan was sent on administrative leave pending the outcome of the audit. The final audit report, which followed Duncan’s response to the earlier draft report, was on Tuesday examined first by the Board and senior management, and then by the Board together with Duncan and his attorney page by page.
It said that all directors present were of the view that the numerous breaches identified were serious and some form of disciplinary action against Duncan was necessary.
The statement revealed that one director recommended a one-month suspension and an extension of the period of probation while two directors recommended an extension of the period of probation. Three directors held the view that Duncan’s services should be terminated with immediate effect for ‘gross misconduct’. The Board comprises a Chairman and six directors, one of whom was absent at the time of the vote, and a workers’ representative without voting rights, the statement noted.
It revealed that following the call for a vote on the matter of termination of services, three directors voted against while three voted in favour of termination, thus there was a tie.
“Invoking article 94 of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, the Chairman exercised her right to a casting vote in favour of termination of services. Article 94 states, inter alia: “Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In cases of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote”. Mr Sherod Duncan’s services were as a consequence of that outcome terminated with immediate effect,” the statement said.
It added that the requisite communication to Duncan and his attorney would have by now been dispatched.
“At all material times during this process, great care was taken to ensure that due process was adhered to and that fairness and natural justice prevailed. The Board wishes to thank Mr Duncan for his services and wishes him every success in his future endeavours,” the statement added.
Stabroek News had reported that the audit report had found that tender rules were flouted; services were acquired by the company without contracts; and payments were made on invoices with inadequate details, without passage through established approval process and on invoices that bear no mark of authentication such as business stamps or signature.
Additionally, cash advances given to Duncan for overseas and local travel are still to be cleared, as he has not provided the necessary documents to support expenditure; while the company’s personnel policy and procedures manual was ignored during the recruitment, termination and dismissal of several employees.
