GT Mayor wants to “stamp out malpractice” at Engineer’s Department

Jul 07, 2019 News

Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, wants to stamp out malpractice at City Hall particularly at the level of the City Engineer’s Department
At a recent statutory meeting held at City Hall, the Mayor noted that City Engineer, Colvern Venture, has not acted in the best interest of the city. He explained that Venture proceeded on his annual vacation leave but did not present documents of existing work contracted to the Deputy-Engineer.

Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine

According to Mayor Narine, under Venture’s watch, there were several projects that were not executed successfully and must be addressed promptly. He said that there are several other issues that will be tackled and emphasised the need to put a “full stop” to any malpractice.
“The 30 people who sit around this table, we are here to make policy, we are here to create by-laws, we are not here to micro-manage. When our instructions and decisions are made by the council, those decisions and instructions ought to be followed for the betterment of the City,” he stated.
Mayor Narine won Constituency One in November 2018. Among his goals is the stamping out of corruption at the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), providing citizens with the services needed and transforming Georgetown to its former glory.
Last month, Narine called for great accountability and transparency from city engineers attached to City Hall. He was at the time responding to concerns about the City Engineer’s Department as it relates to the state of manholes in the city.
Councillor Heston Bostwick told the Council that three children fell into a manhole at James Street, Albouystown. The councillor complained that it was “due to our negligence”. Limbs can be lost.”
In response to enquiries from the Council, City Engineer Venture said that there are nine manholes around the city currently without covers.
“You know something named ‘fed up’? The Mayor is fed up with the Engineer’s Department,” Narine said.
This is not the first time that the Engineer’s Department has come under fire for manhole incidents.
The M&CC has received a number of requests for compensation from citizens, claiming millions of dollars in damages as a result of falling into manholes.
Former Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had noted that staff of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council had to be more careful in carrying out their work and dealing with the public.
“I’m tired of complaints against the Engineer’s Department involving senior building inspectors. You’re dodging the people, hiding from them, telling them to come back over and over. The attitude of those in the Engineer’s Department stinks; their attitude towards citizens is unacceptable,” Chase-Green had lamented.
She said it was high time that some officers from that department go home, because they are at work doing absolutely nothing.
“You have officers in the yard liming whole day,” she charged, and when they are picked up and taken into the fields, they produce the reports months after; and worse yet, give the excuse that they have to revisit the location before submitting the reports.
The Mayor and City Council of Georgetown was expected to compensate at least two people in relation to manhole incidents.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News