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Operations at the 14 municipal corporations were severely impacted because of the absence of an accounting officer at the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government for over two weeks to sign off on financial transactions and other important correspondence.
Chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh made the claim at a press conference and called on the head of the Public Service to appoint someone to act.
The accounting officer is also the permanent secretary at the Ministry.
Ramadharsingh said the situation has resulted in several projects valued at more than $4.5 million being stalled.
A senior official at the ministry, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed Ramadharsingh’s claims.
He said there were two permanent secretaries and two deputy permanent secretaries assigned to the ministry but a permanent secretary and a deputy permanent secretary recently retired.
He said the other permanent secretary went on vacation—a month-and-a-half ago—and the deputy permanent secretary had been acting as the accounting officer.
However, he said the deputy permanent secretary fell ill just over two weeks ago and proceeded on sick leave, leaving the position vacant.
The official said Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein has been informed by the head of the Public Service Commission that someone has been appointed to take up the position until the permanent secretary returns from vacation.