The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) this week questioned the approximately $112 million discrepancy between the sum budgeted to procure drugs and medical supplies for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) in 2019, and what was actually received by the region, but received no satisfactory explanation.
This is based on the Auditor General’s Report for that year, which was before the PAC this week. According to the report, a financial return from the Ministry of Health showed that the entire amount budgeted to purchase drugs and supplies for the region, over $210 million, was spent. However, the region’s list of what was actually received amounted to just over $98 million.
Noting the $112 million shortfall, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill questioned, “Was there a shortage?”
Current Regional Executive Officer (REO) Susannah Saywack said she would not be able to give the “most accurate answer” and as such the committee turned to former REO Denis Jaikaran who was present via Zoom.
According to the former REO, 2019 was a long time ago. “I can’t recall and since I can’t recall, I am not going to give any answer that is going to implicate me in any way or the other,” he said. He noted that it was the Department of Health’s responsibility to provide that information.
Edghill then pointed out that the Auditor General had indicated that the amount for the purchase of drugs and supplies was $228.705 million, while the Ministry of Health said it spent $210.180 million. He questioned whether the $18 million was retained in the region for purchasing
The other issue, Edghill stressed, was “the financial return which the ministry sent. They are saying the whole $210,180 million was [spent]… so the first query [is if] this financial return of the ministry of health is correct or not.”
It was pointed out that either there had to be another list or there was indeed a shortage and if so, someone had to do a reconciliation.
