— says Aurora Secondary Project engineer should account for missing materials

REGION Two Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson is contending that the engineer of the Aurora Secondary School Project should account for the building materials that were stolen at the work site a few weeks ago.Hopkinson in a comment told the Guyana Chronicle that the project engineer is responsible for monitoring the materials from the school which was demolished, for the construction of a new building. The REO had instructed the project consultant and engineer that the materials from the demolition be taken to the regional compound at Anna Regina.
It was expected to be used for minor repairs at the main office and donation to various non-governmental organisations. But soon after the REO’s instruction, some 80 per cent of the materials disappeared.
According to the contract document seen by this publication, a sum of $200,000 was allocated to the project engineer for removal of the materials.

The contract “Allows for the demolishing and removal of the existing structures and foundations of the existing primary/nursery school, canteen, computer laboratory, trestle, etc, to the satisfaction of the supervisory consultant. Rates should include the carting away and proper disposal of all demolished materials to the satisfaction of the engineer,” the document stated.

Mr Hopkinson, while not pinning any particular person to the act of stealing the materials, contended that the unfortunate action of the culprits points to a culture of dishonesty he met when he assumed the post of Region Two REO.

After the materials went missing, Mr Hopkinson came under much criticism, but he said most of the comments were misplaced. He said the REO cannot watch over all the infrastructural developments in the region 24/7, and as such, persons are employed on the ground to do basic monitoring.

In this case, Mr Hopkinson stressed it was the project engineer who was in charge and should be held accountable for the missing materials.