Former NWRHA managers face charges

Former NWRHA managers face charges
Posted: Tuesday, November 6, 2001

By Nalinee Seelal Newsday

The Police Fraud Squad has recommended to the Director of Public Prosecutions (NWRHA) that four former senior managers of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) be charged with misbehaviour in public office and misappropriation of funds.

The managers involved are Ramesh Sharma, former CEO; Dr Ranjit Sookdar, Cost and Budget Analyst; Reynold Makhan, Property Manager and Gulabchand Maharaj, senior vice-president Finance.

Police investigators probing allegations of mismanagement of $1.6 million at the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), have submitted their recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

DPP Mark Mohammed told Newsday yesterday, "Yes I have received the file from the police."

He added that he could not give a time frame when he will give directions in the matter. The offences are Common Law offences, and sources told Newsday that other charges may be laid against other officials.

The police report was sent to ACP (Crime), Cecil Carrington on Friday, and the file was sent to DPP Mohammed over the weekend.
The police team led by Snr Supt Wellington Virgil and including Supt Fredericks and ASPs Woodley, and Phillip took two months to complete the investigations during which more than 30 people were interviewed.
Snr Supt Virgil told Newsday yesterday that the police received full cooperation during the probe.

He added that the NWRHA investigation was on-going with other enquiries.

On September 14 last, the new Board of Directors of the NWRHA met and terminated the contracts of the four senior managers who were suspended in May.

The recommendation to dismiss the four was made by Personnel Management Services Limited in a 31- page Report into Matters Raised in the Auditor General's Report in the NWRHA.

PMSL dealt with contract employment of senior officials in NWRHA and award of commercial contracts by NWRHA.

The four senior managers had their contracts terminated for what was described as "serious misconduct."

The PMSL report also recommended that the Auditor General's report be pursued in relation to other NWRHA workers against whom a prima facie basis for further inquiry be established.

According to the report, Dr Tim Gopeesingh, who was appointed a Government Senator by Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, was chairman of the NWRHA when the sum of $1.6 million was deposited into the accounts of the managers.

When the issue became public Dr Gopeesingh dealt with the matter personally and the money was redeposited into the NWRHA account. The NWRHA board at the time was unaware of what had transpired.


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