THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Monday took a decision for City Engineer, Colvern Venture, who recently proceeded on vacation leave, to return to work until he can produce information that was requested from him more than six months ago.

Mayor Ubraj Narine raised the issue when councillors met for their fortnightly statutory meeting at City Hall, saying that he was tired of Venture’s attitude so far as his responses to letters are concerned.

“Venture is yet to submit responses to my letters that I sent to him months ago,” the mayor complained, adding: “Colvern Venture is not acting in the interest of this City. From the head to the tail, I am fed up of the Engineer’s Department.”

According to Narine, such responses are required to proceed with important works across the City. “I wrote him two times on the Chinese report and to date, no response has been forthcoming from him. I need responses so I can do my work.”

Narine said it has been more than six months since he wrote Venture on this report and his response is necessary for him to go back to the Chinese ambassador who is willing to collaborate on works across the City.

The mayor inquired if Venture should really be allowed to proceed on leave without first honouring his obligations to the M&CC and several councillors agreed that he should remain on the job until he can first provide all of the requested information.

Councillor Heston Bostwick offered that Town Clerk, Sharon Harry, is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the officers at City Hall and for ensuring they carry out their duties.
Bostwick further commented that Harry should be made to bear the burden of producing all of the information required.

Regarding Venture, Bostwick said it has long been his opinion that the officer shows a consistent uncaring attitude and disregard for the council. In his estimation, he said Venture shows total disrespect for the City Council.

Mayor Narine had only recently said that he was utterly “fed up” of the manner in which the Engineer’s Department was operating. “You know something named fed up? The mayor is fed up of the Engineer’s Department.”

Senior members of the said department have constantly been criticised for the manner in which they conduct the council’s business, and Venture had one time cited a lack of cooperation on the part of the junior officers.

But the council had warned him to take a control of such officers, or he would have to face the consequences.