MORE than a hundred derelict buildings across Georgetown are on a list of derelict buildings, City Engineer Colvern Venture has disclosed.

“We are still having our daily inspections, so there would be more added to that list,” he told reporters following a recent statutory meeting at City Hall.   The problem, though, is that the department is very limited in terms of resources. For instance, Venture said he is working at the moment with seven building inspectors, as opposed to a required strength of 15.

“They have their challenges in carrying out the works in the manner that is required of them. They have the challenge of inspecting very large areas and as such, we may not be able to quickly address some of the issues that may arise,” Venture offered, adding: “We have building inspectors who have at least nine areas and these are not small wards we’re talking about.”

Venture acknowledged the many negatives that have been said about his department recently, but noted that the department has to work with its current resources until it can do better.

Regarding the derelict buildings that are found in Georgetown, he said the City Council has been trying to engage persons so that the owners can either take the buildings down, or affect repairs immediately.

“These buildings are abandoned for quite a while and some are deteriorating; sections of them are falling off. It is not safe. Persons are living in some of them and this is very risky,” Venture said.

In 2015, he recalled that a number of exercises were carried out in which the council pulled down such buildings from various areas across the City. These included buildings in the famous ‘Globe Yard’ on Waterloo Street, and others at Kingston and Lamaha Street, Kitty.