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Letters To The Editor

Development Bank organization chart has Board usurping role of CEO

More unorthodox is the observation that the BOD in the Organization Chart, working through the technical officers, has control over commercial banks and lending agencies. This linkage is not credible, because commercial banks are privately owned and managed businesses; and they do not take instructions from the BOD. Instead, commercial banks are supervised by the Bank of Guyana; and they should not be in the organization chart of the Development Bank. Another shortcoming of the proposed organization chart is that it does not show the other important departments that must be included in the organization chart. Hence, this organization chart is incomplete.

It should be emphasized that a credible BOD as well as the CEO  must be comprised of individuals who:

  1. Achieved a high level of success in their chosen fields, including economic, business, and academic experience. Additionally, the BOD and the CEO must have experience in credit approval and loan portfolio management, while credit training for credit staff must be completed before lending commences;
  2. Will make decisions based on  their economic, management, and professional experience;
  3. Have uncompromised integrity, and have avoided any conflict of interest;
  4. Will organize a robust project appraisal and project supervision system that is supported by a credible financial system that generates timely and credible financial, accounting, and credit reports;
  5. Will reject any loan application or other documents that advance a client’s social, racial, religious, or political affiliation;
  6. Will only approve loan applications for economic projects that are financially viable and supports the economic development of Guyana; 
  7. Will delegate the day-to-day management of the Development Bank to the CEO, who in turn will report all operational matters, including audit reports, to the Board, the Minister of Finance, and to whomever the Board directs; but ensures the confidentiality of the information provided by applicants and borrowers;  
  8. Will approve the employment, operational, and credit policies of the Development Bank;
  9.  Will meet once per month or more frequently, if required by the Board Chairman;
  10. Will approve loan-lending authority to the CEO for loans no higher than $???; for Senior Managers for loans no higher than $???; and Regional Managers no higher than $???. Loan rejection will follow the same level of loan approval authority, while loan amounts above the loan approval and rejection level of the CEO will be decided by the BOD;
  11. Will build a diversified credit portfolio, with different economic activities across the regions in agriculture, manufacturing, fishing, forestry, mining, and services; and
  12.   Will ensure that all the documentation required by the Auditor General is delivered in a timely manner.

  Follow-up work is certainly necessary.

    Sincerely,

Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte

Professor and Former Ambassador

 

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