Dear Editor,
THE Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown wishes to address a specific issue that has appeared in several sections of the media, as it relates to the break and enter of the Municipal Archives located at the former City Constabulary Training Centre on Water Street, North Cummingsburg.

In the month of August, the Georgetown City Council embarked on a special programme to mark the 175th year of Georgetown’s elevation from the status of a town to a city. The celebrations commenced on August 19, 2018.

The events leading to the celebrations necessitated research to locate historical information which was placed on letters, flyers, brochures, book markers and other memorabilia. The Municipal Archives was established to house historic documents including minutes, agendas and plans dating back to the colonial era.

This facility was specially established under the tenure of former Mayor of Georgetown Mr. Hamilton Greene to facilitate research and as a medium to preserve historic documents. Staff of the council would often use the facility to conduct research and to retrieve historical documents when the need arises. Also, external researchers from North America and the Caribbean have also benefited from the information stored at this facility.

On August 14, 2018, the keys to the archives could not be located and Town Clerk Royston King instructed three (3) staff members attached to the Town Clerk’s Office to visit the archives and retrieve the historical books. Four books were retrieved in the presence of the security guard attached to the archives. The junior staff collected, four (4) bounded minutes; of 1843, October 9, 1842, May 4, 1843, and April 25, 1843. These were delivered to the Office of the Town Clerk by the junior officers as was instructed and these records are currently in the office of the town clerk.

The Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01(77) states: “The clerk shall be the chief administrative officer of the council of which he is the clerk and shall have the general responsibility of coordinating the whole work of the council. More specifically, the town clerk has direct responsibility for managing the records of the council. The Municipal Archive which houses historical documents comes under the remit of the city administrator.”

The SIXTH SCHEDULE (5) of the Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01 states: “Subject to any general directions which the council may give, he shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for, all charters, deeds, records and other documents belonging to the council, which shall be kept as the council may direct.” The council wants to make it pellucid that workers were not involved in the removal of any financial records as was reported in certain sections of the media.

Regards
Debra Lewis
Public Relations Officer