The board of the Education Facilities Company Ltd (EFCL) has taken a decision to terminate the employment of its suspended chief executive officer Sharma Maharaj and chief operations officer, Kiran Shah.
The termination was effective on February 23.
Both men, who were retained under the former People’s Partnership government, received their dismissal letters from the EFCL’s corporate secretary.
Confirmation came yesterday from EFCL chairman and former agriculture minister Arnold Piggott.
Piggott said, “The board, having lost confidence in the two executive members, took a decision to terminate their employment.”
Piggott, however, refused to answer any further questions.
Last November, police officers were called in by the current board, as part of the ongoing criminal probe into the EFCL’s operations under its former board.
After their visits the officers reportedly carted away several hard drives from computer systems at the offices and other documents.
A private room was also discovered when the new board, led by Piggott, toured the Maraval offices.
A small group of EFCL employees were found to be doctoring documents and back-dating contracts.
Following the discovery, Maharaj and Shah were suspended with full pay and benefits, pending the outcome of an investigation into the EFCL’s operations under the previous board.
The EFCL also ordered two independent audits.
“The audits were conducted because the company was in a bad shape. We would need to put in a lot of controls in the area of accounting and auditing in particular, so that we can cut back on any wastage and provide value for money in the awarding of contracts,” a source at the EFCL said.
The source said the EFCL was seeking to re-establish good management principles and improve its image.
“EFCL is committed to focussing on the core business of the company, which is to build, repair and maintain as well as outfit all schools from Early Childhood Care and Education to secondary. This with the objective of providing a healthy and comfortable learning and teaching environment.”
The positions of both men would have to be filled, but the source could not say when.
“The board is on a re-organisation of the company and in that process will determine what is required to deliver on its mandate.”