COUNCILLOR Heston Bostwick on Tuesday complained that the health centre in Albouystown currently does not have security and urged that officers responsible for guarding the facility be held accountable.

Bostwick raised the issue at the Mayor and City Council’s (M&CC) statutory meeting on Tuesday at City Hall.

He reported that on some nights, he is out on the streets for as late as 03:00hrs, but sees no security guard turning up for duty.

The councillor argued that the council must have a system in place to account for the time officers spend on duty. They are being paid and must be held accountable, he said.
Deputy Chief Constable, Laurel Gittens, informed that the security guards usually turn up for duty at the City Constabulary before heading off to the various locations. However, there is a belief that these officers show up at the constabulary but do not actually proceed to the required locations.

Gittens said the officers’ supervisors are also expected to visit the locations to check on the attendance of the guards. As for when they do not show up for duty, she said they are often sent warning letters.

Meanwhile, the Albouystown Health Centre was re-opened to the public two years ago at the corner of Bel Air and James’ Streets. For approximately one year, the centre had been out of operation with the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) often citing a lack of finances to have it fixed.

The facility has been rendering services to this community since 1970 when former mayor, Hamilton Green, was the Minister of Health. The clinic also extends its services to the residents of the Dharm Shala, located one street away, at King Edward Street.