…as Engineering Department drags foot on projects, plans – CoI hears
Almost three years after US$41,000 was donated to City Hall by the US Embassy on behalf of the United States Government, for repair works on the Stabroek Market Clock, the structure remains unrepaired, as the restoration process was never orchestrated.
City Hall
This is according to City Engineer, Colvern Venture, who made these remarks under oath on Friday before the Commission of Inquiry into City Hall.
“Based on my knowledge, those works weren’t executed,” said Venture when asked as to what is the current status of this operation.
The clock, an iconic masterpiece that overlooks the city, is bounded by the Demerara River and houses one of the main business hubs, the Stabroek Market. During a statutory session in April of this year, there was a clash of ideas as to how the structure would be repaired.
Ambassador Perry Holloway
City Hall’s cash-strapped crisis was also blamed for failing to conduct repairs as well as the fact that additional works on supporting erections were necessary.
Town Clerk Royston King argued that these structures needed to be rehabilitated before works can be done. He stated that only two companies qualified for the works that are estimated at GY$56 million but did not have the funds nor the capacity to execute such.
The then Deputy Mayor, Lionel Jaikaran, advised that he go ahead and ask Central Government for assistance. However, it has been six months and no intervention.
Kitty Market
With respect to the Kitty Market, the Commission heard that substandard materials were sourced to conduct the works which was part of the $250 million restoration exercise. Councillor Bishram Kupen submitted his statement, verifying that poor quality of wood was purchased for these works.
Being the head of his department, Venture was questioned as to whether he was pleased with the pace of work at the site. This is given from the fact that those works were ongoing since 2015 and the he asserted that he was not satisfied with the progress.
Stabroek Market clock remains unrepaired
There was a number of other rehabilitation works which were not completed, inclusive of the Mayor’s Complex.
Millions of dollars were also awarded for the restoration of the City Constabulary Training Complex on Water Street, Georgetown, and according to Venture, those works were completed. However, the condition of that building paints a different picture. During a visit by the Commission to the Complex on Thursday, the rooms were water-logged and unkempt, with historical records stored among the termite-infested walls.
He was asked as to whether the building was inspected to which he retorted that it was and it is his views that the structure is not “habitable”.
Ironically, Venture had no knowledge whatsoever on the model houses that are being constructed by City Hall on Government reserves in Guyhoc.
Delayed plans
The City Engineer dodged several questions that were asked by the Commission as it related to the time lapse of years for plans to be approved, when in fact it should take just a few weeks if all the documents are intact.
After the plan is sent to the relevant agency, only one week is needed for internal processing before the draft is finalised.
“With all things equal, within a week’s period that plan should be signed off,” Venture posited.
This situation redirected particularly on a popular restaurant franchise which would have submitted five applications, and none were granted until the CoI was established.
Chief Executive Officer of Camex Restaurants Incorporated, Terence Campbell testified on October 3, 2018, stating that he lost over $30 million because the plans were not approved.
City Hall has an excess of 800 persons employed to the Council.
