Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette says that Regional Executive Officer Shafdar Ali’s order for works to cease filling a trench at Plaisance was issued without consulting other officers of the region.
However, Ali told Stabroek News that as the administrative officer of the region he had the authority to stop work at any level if it was affecting residents in any way.
Ali said that the stop-order he issued through the Plaisance NDC was a temporary one and that an investigation would have to be carried out to determine whether the man had been given permission and if so from whom. He said too that he was yet to see any relevant documents to show the individual had been given permission or had requested that the NDC procure such for him if it existed. He reiterated that the drain should not have been filled and also that permission should have been given by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).
Stabroek News contacted the NDIA office and was told by an engineer that they would visit the area and “check out the problem.” The engineer said that the NDIA would not normally get involved in these matters except in cases where drainage in the major canals for which they are responsible was affected.
Meanwhile, Corlette told Stabroek News on Saturday, that he had visited the worksite some two weeks ago and had spoken to the man responsible for filling the trench. He said that the “developer” had shown him a letter from the Ministry of Public Works granting the man permission and another signed by NDC Chairman Clinton Rellox saying that he had no objections to the proposed work. Rellox had told this newspaper earlier that he had nothing to do with the project and was not aware of where or who the man had got permission from. When contacted yesterday he acknowledged that he had indeed signed such a letter since the man had already received permission from the Public Works Ministry. When put to him that the NDC should never have allowed this in their jurisdiction, Rellox said that the authorities above him had ignored protocol and should have inquired from the NDC and residents whether the decision to give the man permission would have any negative effects.
Additionally, efforts made last week and yesterday to get a comment from public works proved futile. Stabroek News was informed earlier that the individual who would be able to comment on the issue was out of town last week, and yesterday he could not be reached at his office.
Corlette explained that the permission letters dated back to 2005 when the man had originally planned to begin the project. However financial and other reasons, including objections from some residents, had seen the project stalled for a while. Corlette said that in view of no ‘formal’ complaints from the residents or the NDC, and no legal withdrawal of the plans the man would have been given the go-ahead.
Corlette further said that the individual was in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, while engineers from the Ministry of Public Works were to make checks to ensure that he was following stipulated protocols. He added that the trench “leads nowhere” and filling it would not hamper drainage in any way.
He said that some residents had spoken to him “informally” and stated their concern about the man building a wash bay, which would contribute to more water in an area that is already prone to flooding in the rainy season. Corlette said that the developer had given assurances that he would put systems in place to ensure no extra water from his establishment remained lodged in the area.
The other complaint that residents had was that the wash bay would be in close proximity to a church, but again Corlette said that no “formal complaints” had been raised by the residents.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Corlette said that he would be issuing an official statement on the issue today and would also be sending a letter to Ali. He reiterated that he had not been consulted in the move to stop the works, and that Ali went about doing so by “word of mouth,” since no formal letter had been sent to the NDC. He said too that in his opinion the NDC should not have stopped the man’s work but should have inquired as to whether it was a collaborative order instead of one coming from the REO only.
In the meantime, Ali said that he did not know what the Regional Chairman considered “formal complaints,” but the calls he had received from concerned citizens should suffice for action to be taken.
