The President of the Law Association, Dana Seetahal, and 17 members of it’s council offered their resignations Friday amid controversy around the disappearance of $284,000 from the Association’s accounts.
However the association voted to allow the council members to retain their posts until the association’s annual elections later this month.
Senoir Council member Douglas Mendes told reporters, “The membership having received intimations from all the members of council that they accepted responsibility for the administration of the association’s funds, and all members of council offering their resignation, the membership resolved that the council hold their posts until the election.”
Mendes said the membership has decided to report the issue of the missing funds to the Fraud Squad.
The association’s accounts for the financial year ending January 31, 2012 had revealed that $284,696 was missing.
However the association voted to allow the council members to retain their posts until the association’s annual elections later this month.
Senoir Council member Douglas Mendes told reporters, “The membership having received intimations from all the members of council that they accepted responsibility for the administration of the association’s funds, and all members of council offering their resignation, the membership resolved that the council hold their posts until the election.”
Mendes said the membership has decided to report the issue of the missing funds to the Fraud Squad.
The association’s accounts for the financial year ending January 31, 2012 had revealed that $284,696 was missing.
The Guardian newspaper reported Saturday that an audit by a six-member committee showed that the missing funds were drawn on the association’s accounts last year by a member of staff at the association’s St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, headquarters.
“As it turned out, we had in our employment a person who was bent upon no good, and the internal controls of association fell down and facilitated this action,” the Guardian quoted Mendes as saying.
Seetahal told reporters she withdrew her nomination for re-election as president. The Guardian said its sources have indicated that Israel Khan has also pulled out of the election.
Seetahal issued a formal statement to the Assocaition on the matter: “While I do take responsibility for not being more vigilant in protecting the funds, it is clear that human ingenuity could not have been anticipated in the level of dishonesty that apparently prevailed in the misuse of the funds,” Seetahal stated.
“As it turned out, we had in our employment a person who was bent upon no good, and the internal controls of association fell down and facilitated this action,” the Guardian quoted Mendes as saying.
Seetahal told reporters she withdrew her nomination for re-election as president. The Guardian said its sources have indicated that Israel Khan has also pulled out of the election.
Seetahal issued a formal statement to the Assocaition on the matter: “While I do take responsibility for not being more vigilant in protecting the funds, it is clear that human ingenuity could not have been anticipated in the level of dishonesty that apparently prevailed in the misuse of the funds,” Seetahal stated.
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