‘Crazy ants’ payment scheme at NWRHA

AN AUDIT on recruitment of staff at the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) for June 2003 to June 2004 has found instances of workers receiving salaries and allowances for which approval by the Human Resource Committee, or ratification by the Board of Directors, could not be found. The audit was compiled by internal auditor Harriram Laloo, and its findings were submitted last November to Vice-President of Human Resource Yolande Selman and copied to NWRHA  Chairman Hugh Eastman and Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Carrington-Murray.

It highlighted cases of overpayments, underpayment and staff being hired without evidence of  their positions being advertised. Laloo found that the NWRHA has been honouring terms and conditions of employment applicable to the public service and remunerating workers according to positions which equate with the Civil Service Classification and Compensation Plan (CSCCP). The compensation packages for executive managers are approved by the Board of Directors and the Health Ministry. However, Laloo said there was no compensation structure in place for middle and senior management personnel. He cited a manager who said the compensation package of $11,500 a month approved by the Board of Directors for human resource managers was used for determining the pay for middle and senior management personnel. Laloo reported that the compensation package for each worker was forwarded to the VP Human Resources, CEO and Human Resources Committee for approval.

Laloo identified 12 cases where approval could not be found for the compensation packages received by workers. They were hired between August 2003 and February 2004. Eight of them received the same basic salary of $8,000 and travelling allowance of $1,000 (with the exception of three persons, the rest worked in different positions and departments). All of the workers were also receiving a $500 communication allowance and Cost of Living Allowance (COLA). He advised that a compensation structure with clearly defined pay grades should be developed for middle and senior management personnel and approved by the Human Resources Committee and Board “to provide transparency in the recruitment process”.

Contracts and letters of employment were signed by either the VP Human Resources or the manager Employment/Employee Services for 19 workers. Laloo said this was in contravention of Section 12 (1) of the Regional Health Authorities Act number 5 (1994). It states that a document (not required by law to be under the seal of an authority) shall be duly executed if signed by the chairman, the CEO or “a member duly authorised by resolution of the Board”.

No evidence was seen that the Board delegated authority to the VP, Human Resources or manager, Employment/Employee Services for the signing of documents. Laloo’s report also highlighted the employment of HR officers. He said their salary package -$8,000 basic salary; $1,000 travel allowance; $350 communication allowance, $55 COLA, equated with the post of senior human resource officer range 63 of the CSCCP. He said this is a very senior post in the public service based on years of experience/additional human resource qualification. There are four tiers in the public service with HR Officer I being the lowest. Laloo found the NWRHA has one tier -HR officer - and that persons appointed “possess the basic minimum human resource qualifications and no relevant work experience”.

A recommendation was made to the NWRHA to reclassify positions into four positions in line with the public service to allow for more equity in appointments and promotions based on experience and relevant additional qualifications. The NWRHA has been paying COLA to contract workers although the TT Gazette number 1508 of July 11 2000,  “Notification Guidelines For Contract Employment in Government Ministries, Depart-ments and Statutory Authorities under the heading B Terms and Conditions of Employment”, states that COLA is not payable to people employed on a contract. The auditor said the HR Department was unable to provide a personnel establishment listing as required by Section 2.1 of the RHA Human Resource Policies and Guidelines for Salaried Employees 2004.