How did a four-storey building become a six-storey building?

Dear Editor,

It seems as though the building under construction at the junction of Camp and Robb Streets (the City Food Court) is causing some degree of discomfort for citizens, visitors and labourers. In an article published in the Stabroek News, captioned, ‘Tourist injured by falling debris from Robb Street building’ the visitor said that he did not want any problem and that the developers should have gotten permission to barricade the premises. Editor, correspondence dated July 8, 2012 was sent to Razwan Khan for R N K Investment Limited of 51 Camp and Robb Street from the City Engineer, indicating that permission was granted to barricade the southern and eastern sections of the building subject to certain conditions. However, a basic principle in construction is that all buildings of that magnitude under construction must be covered with a safety net for the safety of the public so they are protected from falling debris and dust, and that was not one of the conditions mentioned by the City Engineer in the correspondence.

Furthermore, R N K Investment Limited wrote to the City Engineer by way of correspondence dated July 9, 2013, informing him that they were about to commence construction of a new four-storey building at 51 Camp and Robb Streets, Georgetown, which is the said building that is now being constructed as a six-flat building. Did the developers apply for four stories and constructed six stories? Editor, we need to investigate this particular structure by allowing the City Engineer to produce the paper trail for its construction, especially the approval for the construction from the City Engineer’s Department and the Central Housing and Planning Authority. Editor, it would be appreciated if a Stabroek News reporter could interview the City Engineer.

Yours faithfully,
Anthony ‘Trini’ Boyce
City Councillor