Mayor makes call for help in restoring Town Hall ‘leaning tower’

Jun 07, 2010 News

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NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – Mayor of New Amsterdam Claude Henry, reiterated the call for help to restore the tower at the New Amsterdam Town Hall. The 75-foot structure is falling apart and the Council does not have enough in the coffers to preserve it. In February, pieces of wood and broken glass came tumbling down, causing minor injury to a passer-by and a staff member.

So far, the Council was able to raise approximately $1M, which is in a special account, to do the job on the landmark. This money was garnered over a period from fund-raising events and donations but it is not enough.

The Town Clerk, Angellina Collins, said that just looking at it from a distance, one can see how much the tower is leaning and also in the actual Town Hall, the movement of the foundation is evident, “Every day the situation gets worse. It is a cause for concern and an accident waiting to happen. Members of the public, market vendors, and staff of the Council all must traverse in the vicinity below the tower.”

On November 14th, 2008, Mayor Henry wrote to the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Kellawan Lall seeking his intervention. “The historical 75-foot tower attached to the New Amsterdam Town Hall is in a very deplorable condition. Due to our limited financial resources, we are not in a position to effect such a repair which is estimated at a cost of approximately $10 million,” the letter stated.

In 2007, a contractor gave a $5.6 million ballpark figure to restore it but a second opinion a few years later stated that $15 million would be a more realistic figure. The Ministry sent an engineer in April to assess the job, but the Mayor indicated that the findings are not known by the council as yet. However, the municipality was subsequently asked to remove all loose material and this was done. The Council is hoping to win this race against time, “It’s a historical building and we really need to preserve it. It is a danger.” The Town Clerk said.

According to the Mr. Henry, the town hall was erected in 1868. Years ago, it was a pièce de résistance for the town of Nieuw Amsterdam which was the head of administration for the County of Berbice.  It housed Mayors such as Neil Ross McKinnon 1891 – 1892 who also served a second term in 1896, Charles Grove Young 1893, Clement P. Gaskin 1894 – 1895 and Adolphus John Perot 1897.

The municipality receives an annual $10 million Government Subvention. As far back as 2008 requests had been made for a $5 million increase but with no luck so far.

The New Amsterdam Town Council is impecunious and this is said to be the result of low rate and tax valuation coupled with poor collection. A new valuation was done under the Urban Development Programme a few years ago but this is not being assented to hence residents are still paying the old rates. This means many properties are undervalued so the council cannot collect the tax it should.

Treasurer of the municipality, Sharon Anderson indicated that the Council had expected to collect $127 M in 2009 but only 45 percent of that amount was realized. This topped the 2008 figure and was a direct result of the legal notices dispatched in a bid to recuperate monies outstanding. This year the budgeted figure is $130 million, but as at the end of January 2010, only $5.8 million was collected. New figures were not readily available.

Mayor Henry said that the funds garnered from revenue is not enough to provide all necessary service for the populace. Thirty percent of the market revenue must be placed in a separate account and used only for the needs of the facility. Should the need arise for funds for that purpose permission must be given and the Permanent of the Ministry of Local Government is the compulsory signature for that account.

According to Mayor Henry, his council has not received subvention for the latter part of 2009 and none for 2010 so far. He made yet another appeal to residents to honour their obligation and pay outstanding rates and taxes. Government agencies top the list of defaulters with millions owed to the New Amsterdam Town Council.

Meanwhile, Manager of the New Amsterdam Branch of the Republic Bank Imran Saccoor, who also is an executive member of the 34th Community Policing Group Anniversary Committee, is working towards establishing a special body to assist in the renovation of the tower at the New Amsterdam Town Hall. One of the initial plans is that funds would be raised during the town day activities this year.

Last Saturday during the commissioning ceremony of the arch at Main Street in New Amsterdam, Region Six Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha urged the Mayor of the township to forge a partnership to get the ball rolling on the rehabilitation of the tower. He said persons should strive to help themselves and not always depend on Government to satisfy their every need.

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