PARLIAMENT'S PUBLIC Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday grilled Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) Town Clerk Errol Greene about anomalies at the corporation.

Greene found himself in the hot seat as he attempted to explain how debit cards for two KSAC vehicles were left at a petrol station for seven months and why receipts were not provided for verification of transaction statements.

The committee was reviewing the auditor general's report for financial year 2007/08 during the second sitting of the PAC this year.

Greene tried to put the matter to rest early, admitting that the KSAC was found wanting, adding: "It was carelessness on behalf of the officers why the card would have been left at the station."

The town clerk told the committee that measures have been introduced to prevent a recurrence.

Committee Chairman Dr Omar Davies wanted to know whether the drivers made a mistake by leaving the cards at the station.

Responding, Greene said, "Sometimes the money that is on the card has run out and the gas stations would hold the cards, I can't say why it was left in this case. It was before my time."

replenishing cards

Continuing, the town clerk explained that the cards might have been held so that when they were replenished, and the driver returned, "they would run the card at that time".

In a quick reply, Davies asked: "So they took seven months to replenish it?"

"That is a no-no, Sir. That ought not to have happened," Greene told committee members.

On another matter, the auditor general had reported that fuel costing $10,143.00 was purchased for a vehicle that was not on the KSAC's official list.

However, the corporation has since recovered the money.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com