— cites lack of Local Government Commission as bugbear
COUNCILLOR Patricia Chase-Green, de facto Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, has spoken out against the practice of Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck and City Engineer Gregory Erskine, who absent themselves from certain meetings of the council which necessitate their presence.
City Councillors have recently called for Pluck and Erskine to be suspended or dismissed from their jobs because of rampant illegalities allegedly being carried out by these two officers.
The councillors have only recently voted in favour of conducting an investigation into the operations of the Engineer’s Department; and, according to Chase-Green, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development was subsequently written on the matter.    
Speaking with the Chronicle following a City Hall press conference last week, Chase-Green said City Council does not have the authority to send home senior officers; this action can be taken only by the Local Government and Regional Development Minister following a recommendation. 

A cover for indiscipline
Chase-Green said the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) had summoned Pluck and Erskine, among other officers, to a meeting to deal with the illegal structures being erected in the city, but the officers turned up late at the meeting, and could not facilitate the authorities with answers with regard to the unlawful structures. When the council ordered that these officers submit in writing their reasons for not attending the meeting on time, the officers went to former Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall, according to Chase-Green, and that was the end of the matter.
“They are being covered or protected by someone. Who it is, I don’t know. They’re always asking to be excused from the statutory meetings, or they come for a short time and then leave. And when you look, they are both in their offices. The substitutes that are left cannot answer questions of the council, because almost nothing is handed over to the junior officers,” Chase-Green explained.
City Councillors recently drew attention to what was called “blatant and presumptuous” violations with regard to the structures and buildings that are being erected in Georgetown without approved plans.

The Boyce allegations
Councillor Anthony Boyce specifically charged that Erskine and building inspectors are encouraging the breaches. “These violations will continue because the builders know exactly that they can offer something to these officials to have things done. I’m saying this without fear or favour! There are facts to substantiate this,” Boyce declared.
Citing examples of such illegalities, he spoke about erections ongoing at the former Central Garage on Avenue of the Republic; and “most presumptuous” at Fifth and Sixth Streets, Alberttown, where the business operating under the name of “Tony’s Auto Spares” is building.
Boyce charged that this particular business entity is infringing on the Council’s reserves and drainage. “I informed the engineer and others; and when we went there, it was nothing, it was just a joke. And the Council can do nothing about it. The builders are saying the Council has no tools to demolish the structures.
“I sit on the City’s Works Committee, and even if a plan is not approved, the building goes up. (The City Engineer’s Department is) encouraging blatant and lawless violations in the city,” he lamented.

The Mayor’s lament
In light of Councillor Boyce’s disclosures, the Guyana Chronicle enquired whether the Council had any plans to institute disciplinary actions against Erskine, the builders, or Pluck.
Mayor Hamilton Green responded that the existing regulations allow disciplinary matters to go to a Local Government Commission (LGC); but, he said: “Instead of appointing a commission, the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration gave those powers to the Minister. Further I say not.”
However, the Guyana Chronicle was able to discover that, long before the PPP/C took office in 1992, there was no Local Government Commission, and the then People’s National Congress (PNC) Minister exercised similar powers over the municipality.
Moreover, it was discovered that Green was the Prime Minister when the PNC dissolved the Local Government Commission and allowed those powers to go to a minister.