PHILIPSBURG:--- The two senior employees of GEBE power-plant that were suspended on Monday are now facing immediate termination as the reports on the internal and independent investigations that were conducted at the government owned company have been completed.
Reliable information reaching SMN News states that the two employees namely Ray Carty, the manager of the Cape Bay power-plant and Elmo Williams a supervisor in the mechanical division of the said power-plant are directly involved in the theft of two truck-loads of copper that were stolen from the power-plant.
According to the information SMN News gathered is that the former Chief Operations Officer Romelio Maduro contracted some Dominicanos to dismantle six old engines at GEBE in exchange for the copper and the old engines. It is said that Maduro did not place the job on bid instead he made a verbal agreement with the contractors who had their workers working in exchange for the copper and old engines. However, two truck-loads of copper were stolen and sold to someone on the Landfill. SMN News understands that the person who bought the copper already paid the sellers half of the amount and management of GEBE intends to also file criminal complaints against all the employees that were involved in the theft including the person who bought the stolen copper. A source close to the Supervisory Board said that the board intends to make an example out of the persons that stole the copper because there are men who worked for months dismantling the old engines and they were left empty handed.
SMN News learnt that even the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Rene Gartner has to watch himself because the Supervisory Board means business and they will not allow anyone to get away with theft. The source said Gartner was told in meetings if he messed up the investigation severe actions will be taken against him also. Prior to the suspension of the two senior employees another employee that was working at the power-plant through a job placement agency was also suspended.
