I am the Vice Chairman of the Works Committee

Oct 09, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
The entire RDC Boardroom was in a state of shock and disbelief when the Regional Chairman, of Region 6, Mr. David Armogan announced to the councilors that he has refused to approve the payment to a certain contractor even though the work done was approved by three councilors-two from the PPP/C and one from APNU/AFC.
With the contract in hand, he explained to the RDC councilors the reason why he refused to do so. The work done was approximately half the size of a normal house lot yet it cost the Region $150,000. The weeding was done at the monument site at Rose Hall Town, opposite the Republic Bank by the Rose Hall Town Arch. This was an ‘emergency’ work done for the Town Day celebration. This work could have been done by the Rose Hall Town Council for as much as $5,000 maximum $10,000.
When the Chairman questioned the said Councilors if they inspected the work they replied in the negative. How could these people whom the residents entrusted to get value for their money not inspect a work? How can they determine the standard of work? These are members of the Regional Works Committee and should know the procedures involved before certifying works for payment. These persons have no right to serve us. They must do the honorable thing and resign.
Moreover, it was pointed out by another Councilor that if the Regional Vice Chairman was not on leave then the Chairman would have never been able to discover this questionable transaction. It is normal for the Vice Chairman to award ‘emergency’ works and to approve payments. The question is where are the checks and balance? This is type of questionable processes that Dr Ramayya was agitating about. He was a threat to the Regional Vice Chairman since he refused to approve payments for many such questionable works and so he was to be pressured into resigning.
This revelation at the RDC Statutory meeting , I am sure is just the tip of the iceberg and as the Vice Chairman of the Works Committee of the 52-74 NDC, I have had firsthand experience of substandard work being certified by both the Engineer and the Regional Vice Chairman, therefore, I am calling for a forensic audit to be done for all the ‘emergency’ works completed, the tender process and the engineer’s estimates which are highly inflated to benefit the contractors who will be in a better financial position to facilitate certain things. Unless this is done the unacceptable practices will continue and development of Region ^ will remain retarded.
Lakram Singh
Councilor and Vice Chairman of the Works Committee
52-74 NDC

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