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JIS swindled by employee
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Eyebrows were raised during Tuesday's sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when it was revealed the Jamaica Information Service had lost over $300,000 after an employee billed government agencies privately while using company equipment.
The PAC members questioned how many of these breaches were taking place at the government's information agency.
Members of the PAC were told that $362,000 was lost by the JIS after an employee went on government assignments and billed the agency for coverage.
The employee then collected personal cheques while also collecting pay from the JIS.
It was revealed that the matter was now being investigated by the police and the employee was taken off the job pending the investigation.
<span style="font-weight: bold">PAC Chairman Dr. Omar Davies</span> <span style="font-style: italic">questioned how much of this was taking place in the particular department</span>.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Dr. Davies was shocked
to know that other employees in the department were interdicted for the same reason.</span>
He questioned the revenue collection processes of the agency.
The CEO of the JIS Donna Marie Rowe said the flaws may have come because of the slow pace in which the government agencies make payments to the JIS for services.
"If this office is doing all this work, who is assessing whether the revenues are consistent?" asked Dr. Davies.
"We have tightened the checks and balances. It also has to do with timeliness or the lack thereof of government agencies to pay the JIS and this we know have impacted on instances such as this," Ms. Rowe responded.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Eyebrows were raised during Tuesday's sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when it was revealed the Jamaica Information Service had lost over $300,000 after an employee billed government agencies privately while using company equipment.
The PAC members questioned how many of these breaches were taking place at the government's information agency.
Members of the PAC were told that $362,000 was lost by the JIS after an employee went on government assignments and billed the agency for coverage.
The employee then collected personal cheques while also collecting pay from the JIS.
It was revealed that the matter was now being investigated by the police and the employee was taken off the job pending the investigation.
<span style="font-weight: bold">PAC Chairman Dr. Omar Davies</span> <span style="font-style: italic">questioned how much of this was taking place in the particular department</span>.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Dr. Davies was shocked
to know that other employees in the department were interdicted for the same reason.</span> He questioned the revenue collection processes of the agency.
The CEO of the JIS Donna Marie Rowe said the flaws may have come because of the slow pace in which the government agencies make payments to the JIS for services.
"If this office is doing all this work, who is assessing whether the revenues are consistent?" asked Dr. Davies.
"We have tightened the checks and balances. It also has to do with timeliness or the lack thereof of government agencies to pay the JIS and this we know have impacted on instances such as this," Ms. Rowe responded.