Faster processing of payments as gov’t upbraids accounting officers

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said the administration hopes to make payments for the execution of public works and services faster and is engaging accounting officers in government ministries and agencies on the need to operate more efficiently.

The Vice President acknowledged concerns raised by contractors and workers who require payments from the State for work done. In some instances, he said, payments take up to three months to be processed.

It is believed that some government workers are slowly processing payments. Because of this Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh and his team have intervened.

“We will hold the accounting officers in the ministries and the other agencies responsible for the breaches here.

“We will first of all see whether the engagement the Minister of Finance had with the accounting officers and those responsible for processing payments… has led to an improvement in this situation,” Jagdeo said at a press conference at the Office of the President, Georgetown on Thursday.

Even as the government hopes these engagements will lead to swifter payments, the Vice President noted that there are some instances where payment delays are warranted. Such instances include scenarios where clarity on work done or requisite certification is needed.