Town Clerk (ag) Sharon Harry -Munroe was sent on administrative leave by the Local Government Commission (LGC) after she failed to produce financial documents requested for a forensic audit into City Hall.
Harry-Munroe on Thursday confirmed that she was sent on leave on July 31 but did not wish to comment on the matter.
Head of the Local Government Commission, Mortimer Mingo in an interview with the News Room said the Town Clerk (ag) was sent on leave after she did not comply with orders from the Commission to provide the documents which was needed to supply to the Auditor General’s office.
The Audit was recommended by a Commission of Inquiry conducted into the administration, operation and management of the financial affairs of City Hall last year.
Mr Mingo said officials from the audit office met with the City Mayor, Ubraj Narine and the Town Clerk acting in April requesting that the documents be handed over.
He said the Commission was informed by the Auditor General that despite the meeting and request for these documents, they were not submitted.
Mr Mingo said the Local Government Commission then wrote to Harry-Munroe and instructed her to have the documents handed over to the Commission within seven days but again she failed to comply.
“She informed us that she did made a request…she asked the acting treasurer to hand over those documents to the Local Government Commission and the treasurer informed her that he will not be handing over those documents because they are sensitive documents,” Mr Mingo said.
The documents were eventually supplied to the Commission but the Commission still proceeded with disciplinary action, taking into consideration that in the first instances, the Town Clerk acting did not comply with the orders from the Commission.
“It was against that background that the commission took a decision and send her on administrative leave and ask her to show cause as to why she should not be discipline for refusal to carry out instructions by the local government commission,” Mr. Mingo said.
The 2018 CoI headed by Justice (ret’d) Cecil Kennard was launched by the LGC following allegations of misconduct against managers of the city and resulted in the dismissal of former Town Clerk Royston King.
As a result, Sharon Harry-Munroe was appointed to act in the position.
Harry-Munroe will be granted a hearing at the Human Resource department of the Local Government Commission.
After the hearing, action will be recommended by the department going forward.
