–Mayor Green says such powers lie with Local Government Minister
COUNCILLOR Patricia Chase-Green, currently functioning as de facto Deputy Mayor of the City of Georgetown, has spoken out against the practice of Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck and City Engineer Gregory Erskine being absent from certain meetings of the council which require their presence.
City Councillors recently called for the suspension or dismissal of both Pluck and Gaskin because of rampant illegalities that are allegedly being carried out by these two officers.
Only recently, the councillors had voted in favour of conducting an investigation in the Engineer’s Department; and, according to Chase-Green, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development was subsequently written on the matter.    
Speaking with the Chronicle following a City Hall press conference last week, Councillor Chase-Green said the council does not have the authority to send home senior officers; this action has to be taken by the Local Government Minister following a recommendation. 
Chase-Green said the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) had summoned Pluck and Erskine, among other officers, to a meeting to deal with the illegal structures being erected in the city. 
Chase-Green said the officers turned up late at the meeting, and could not facilitate the authorities with answers in regard to the unlawful structures. When the council ordered that these officers state in writing why they could not be punctual at the meeting, they went to former Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall, and that was the end of the matter.
“They are being covered or protected by someone. Who it is, I don’t know. They’re always asking to be excused from the statutory meetings; or, they come for a short time, and then leave. And when you look, they are both in their offices. The substitutes that are left (at the meeting) cannot answer questions of the council because almost nothing is handed over to the junior officers,” Chase-Green explained.
Members of the City Council recently drew attention to what were called “blatant and presumptuous” violations with regards to the structures and buildings that are being erected in Georgetown without approved plans.
Councillor Anthony Boyce charged that Erskine and building inspectors are encouraging the breaches.
“These violations will continue because the builders know exactly that they can offer something to these officials to have things done. I’m saying this without fear or favour. There are facts to substantiate this,” Boyce declared.
Citing examples of such illegalities, Boyce spoke about erections ongoing at the former Central Garage on Avenue of the Republic, and “most presumptuous” at Fifth and Sixth Streets, Alberttown, where Tony’s Auto Spares is building.
About the last, Boyce said this establishment is infringing on the Council’s reserves and drainage. “I informed the engineer and others, and when we went there, it was nothing, it was just a joke. And the Council can do nothing about it. The builders are saying the Council has no tools to demolish the structures.
“I sit on the City Works Committee, and even if a plan is not approved, the building goes up. They are encouraging blatant and lawless violations in the City,” he lamented.

Discipline
Following Boyce’s presentation, the Guyana Chronicle sought to find out if the Council has any plans to institute disciplinary action against Erskine, the builders, or Pluck.
Mayor Hamilton Green responded that the existing regulations allow disciplinary matters to go to a Local Government Commission (LGC), but, he said: “Instead of appointing a commission, the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration gave those powers to the Minister. Further I say not.”
However, long before the PPP/C took office in 1992, there was no LGC, and the then People’s National Congress (PNC) Minister exercised the same power over the municipality.
It is also noteworthy that Green was the Prime Minister when the PNC dissolved the LGC and allowed those powers to go to a minister.