New Amsterdam Town Council sets record straight

Nov 30, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor,
It would be a pleasure for your news paper to allow me to responsed to a letter to the Editor captioned “NA Town Council offers poor public relations” in Wednesday 21st November, 2012 edition.
The Mayor and Town Council of New Amsterdam has engaged the service of former Building Inspector Ms. Joycelyn Frank to assist in regularizing the Glasgow Housing Scheme which was handed over to the Municipality in January, 2011.
The Building Inspector did house to house visits, advising the residents of the area of the process for the regularization of the Housing Scheme – paying up their taxes and to submit their building application (of which inspection and processing fees calculated according to the plan to be paid into Council) – please note that a number of residents have already erected their homes and businesses and have abided with the regulations of the Municipality.
According to the Building Inspector, Mr. Augustus Outar of Lot 829 Glasgow Housing Scheme and an Officer of GECOM – New Amsterdam Branch, was informed of the requirements some time in June (please be informed that he has been living in the area a while).
According to the Building Application form, Mr. Outar did purchase the form on 27th July, 2012 and it was filled out by Camille Reid according to the specimen of the legal document and his plan and not by Mr. Outar. It was Ms. Frank who lobbied with the Town Clerk (ag.) of the Council to wave the draughtman’s fee since it was Mr. Outar who drew his own building plan which had to be amended by the Building Inspector whom Mr. Outar criticized without a cost attached.
He left the plan, indicating that he would call and enquire how much he would have to pay. Some time in the afternoon I called Mr. Outar at his work place and informed him of the amount of fee he had to pay. He asked for two weeks time to settle the fee – I sought consent from the Town Clerk (ag.) who said that it was okay. His Building Application was approved on 27th August, 2012. However, between August and early
September 2012 I had made contact with him about 4 times and he (Mr. Outar) kept asking for more time to settle his fee.
On 17th September, 2012 I made contact with GECOM’s office, only to be told that Mr. Outar was on leave. It was not until I left a message with an employee (who I knew that well) to please inform him about the fees he promised to pay and that if he did not made contact with the Council and settle the fee, he will have to pay $50,000 as contravention fee. ($50,000 is the actual fee for residential contravention – Council had been very lenient with the residents in the Glasgow Housing Scheme and only charge them $15,000 as Contravention.
On 20th September, 2012 – Mr. Outar did come and settle the payment including the Contravention fee of $15,000: total payment to Council was $37,726. He collected a receipt from the Cashier.
Mr. Outar was told what he had to pay, which he did – I did not enter into his wallet and take out the sum of money – he paid the money willingly and received his plan.
One of our Councillors, Mr. Samuel Fraser, who is the Vice Chairman of Works Committee, invited Mr. Outar to a meeting on Wednesday 31st October, 2012 along with the Building Inspector, Treasurer, former Town Clerk (ag.) and myself and he had a chance to air his view. At this meeting, Mr. Outar said that I had spoken to him rudely and unmannerly. He did not report to any senior person and I indicated to him, that if I did that, I apologized.
I concluded to Mr. Augustus Outar that I, Camille Reid, employee of the Mayor and Town Council of New Amsterdam, was only adhering to instructions given to me regarding his plan and that the contravention fee was paid into Council and not to Camille Reid.
The Mayor and Town Council of New Amsterdam is not a charitable organization, but an organization to serve the Town of New Amsterdam with its limited resources.
Residents of New Amsterdam especially the citizens of Glasgow Housing Scheme should not be afraid of the Town Council staff because we do not have any misfits in the organization.
Camille Reid

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New Amsterdam Town Council sets record straight

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