Benn says he was unaware of dimensions, Green furious
Construction work on a monument to honour the Guyanese victims of the 1976 Cubana Air disaster was halted on Tuesday afternoon by Minister of Transport Robeson Benn, much to the displeasure of Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green.
At a press conference held yesterday at City Hall, Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green without identifying Benn by name berated him for stopping workmen who were constructing the monument at the junction of Camp and Lamaha streets. He accused the Minister of interfering in a matter that was outside of his jurisdiction and called him a “bully”. He said that this cabinet member had demonstrated similar attributes when he made certain decisions about the Stabroek Car Park without first seeking the permission of the Municipality.
Contacted by Stabroek News, Minister Benn explained that the construction was only stopped because as the Minister in charge he was unaware of the specific dimensions of the structure.
Green said that a sign had been erected 18 months ago identifying the land as the site for the building of the monument. He said that in 2006, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally was present at the commissioning of the site as the venue for the monument. He further stated that Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, performing the functions of President, had participated in a memorial event at the same site last year.
During the press conference, Green never named Benn and only did so after a reporter specifically asked for him to identify the Minister.
According to Benn, he was passing along the area at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday when he observed the ongoing construction and he asked the workers what they were doing. He said that he did not get an immediate response but eventually a man showed him a paper with the M&CC logo on it. However, since the document did not provide any details about the project he proceeded to halt the building activities.
He said that Green had misrepresented what happened on Tuesday afternoon and told this newspaper that he views being called a bully by the Mayor as a compliment given Green’s history in this country.
Meanwhile, Benn said that when he returned to his office yesterday, he contacted Minister of Local Govern-ment Kellawan Lall to find out if he knew anything about the construction. Lall, he said, was also unable to provide him with any information.
The Minister stated that it was only yesterday that he was informed by one of the financial supporters of the project that a monument was being built. He explained that once the dimensions of the construction are reviewed and approved the contractors will be allowed to continue working on their project. He said that the main concern was whether the construction would impede traffic and cause other complications, particularly since that area had recently undergone rehabilitation work.
The monument is being built to honour 11 Guyanese who died on October 6, 1976. The fateful flight CU 455 was en route to Cuba from Guyana when it exploded off the Coast of Barbados killing all 73 persons onboard. (Mark McGowan)
