City councillors vote for Engineer to resume duties
-pending local gov’t commission decision on sanction
Councillors of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) yesterday passed a motion for City Engineer Colvern Venture to resume his duties as City Engineer, pending a recommendation from the Local Government Commission (LGC) on whether he should be sanctioned for failing to hand over duties to his deputy before he proceeded on leave. The Public Works Committee of the council had recommended that Venture remain on the job but not perform any duties associated with his post until the LGC recommends the way forward.
The recommendation did not sit well with some councillors and after much deliberations, APNU+AFC Councillor Denroy Tudor moved a motion at yesterday’s statutory council meeting for Venture to resume his duties and for all persons acting during his absence to return to their substantive posts pending the LGC’s decision.
The motion was seconded by fellow APNU+AFC Councillor Shonelle Smith Daniels and received the support of 13 councillors. Seven other councillors around the horseshoe table abstained from voting. During deliberations, Councillor Trichria Richards argued that she did not understand the rationale behind the recommendation put forward by the committee. She questioned why should the council, which is cash strapped, pay an officer for not performing any duties. As a result, she recommended that the council reconsider the recommendation.
Acting Mayor Alfred Mentore also registered his disapproval of the recommendation. He stated that Venture should be able to return and perform his duties as Chief Engineer because he is being paid. He noted that Venture complied when he was asked to cut short his annual leave and properly hand over duties to his deputy. Mentore said that the council needed to look at the matter holistically and decide whether it would use the recommendation by the committee or make a decision as a full council. In his view, he said Venture should return and perform his duties as Chief City Engineer. Councillor Heston Bostwick, on the other hand, argued that going against the committee’s recommendation will send a negative message to officers. He stated that he saw no wisdom in nullifying the recommendation and that the council should seek guidance from the LGC through writing. The council had taken a decision at a previous statutory meeting to probe why the City Engineer didn’t undertake a proper handing over to his deputy before he proceeded on leave. Mayor Ubraj Narine had requested acting Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick to find out the reason for the situation.
In August, Narine had written to the commission and requested that Venture return to work and properly hand over the duties and responsibilities of his office to the officer that would be acting in his stead.
The Mayor stated in his correspondence to the LGC that there was no written handover to the person who would be acting for Venture. This issue, Commission Chairman Mortimer Mingo said, is viewed as an important and substantive one since it is crucial for there to be documentation. Upon Venture’s return to the country, he returned to work and did a handing over before proceeding on his remaining annual leave.
Venture returned to work but has proceeded on medical leave, Jerrick announced during the announcement of yesterday statutory meeting.