As City Engineer I have always been committed to my duties and obligations

Dear Editor,

Statements attributed to the Mayor of Georgetown, in certain sections of the media, on my performance as City Engineer were brought to my attention by concerned staff members. The Mayor continues to attempt to publicly question my competence, and hold me up to public ridicule. This action by the Mayor could undermine the authority of the department and the council as a whole. In the circumstances, I wish to state the following:

1.  The Mayor appears to be using this situation [flooding of certain
     communities and the recent alleged observation along the
     waterfront] as an opportunity to achieve his personal agenda
     against me, to have my services terminated by the Local
     Government Commission. Hence his repeated calls to the
     commission and government to have me removed from my
     official position.

2.  The Mayor’s personal agenda is blinding him to the core issues
      involved. Here are some facts:

a.  The Mayor has repeatedly said, at many fora, that the council
     does not have the resources to provide consistent services to the
     citizens of Georgetown. The most recent statement was reported
     and published, by Stabroek News, on 8th June 2022.

b.  Inadequate staffing in that section: Due to shortage of staff,
     sluices and pump attendants are forced to work seven (7) days a
     week, on the waterfront. This is encouraging absenteeism and
     human errors by these vital workers. Essentially, this has been
     affecting their work performance and compromise these
     municipal facilities. The Mayor is fully aware of this situation. In
     fact, a report that was copied to him from my department, which
     he also used at the recent meeting with the Prime Minister,
     explained this dilemma. The outcome of the discussions at that
     meeting was published by Stabroek News, on 10th June 2022. 

c.  The lack of appropriate equipment and safety gears, for workers,
      is also affecting the way they do their work. Currently, the
      waterfront and other staff under my department are without rain
      coat and other allied gears.

d.  Poor and harsh work condition: I have budgeted and stated the
     urgent need to repair sluice huts and allied structures, to provide
     proper facilities for the attendants, to the council. Although the
     department has raised the appropriate requisitions, it is still
     awaiting the purchase of materials to carry out those works to
     create a better work environment for those staff on the council’s
     waterfront.

e.  Of recent, the Mayor attempted to call meetings with junior
     officers without my knowledge and presence. In such
     circumstances, there is high possibility of inaccurate information
     being disseminated about drainage and other facilities of the
     council. Also, I see this as an attempt to undermine my authority
     as head of that department.

3.  I wish to iterate that, as City Engineer, I have always been
     committed to my duties and obligations as prescribed by the
     Municipal and District Council Act, Chapter 28:01, even though I
     am working under many constraints.

Sincerely,

Colvern Venture

City Engineer

Mayor and City Council