-attendant in custody, watchman disappears
The $119 million contract for the installation of two new pumps at Canal No. 2, West Bank Demerara, suffered a minor setback following the theft of 19 lengths of iron which was expected to be used to build a new door for the station.
The pump attendant has since been taken into custody while the lawmen are looking for the watchman.
When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday workers at the station reported that the theft is holding up their work and would delay the scheduled opening of the station tomorrow. Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth, however said the theft would not delay the project. He also told Stabroek News that the station was not set to become operational tomorrow as there are still some checks that need to be done.
In an invited comment Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, who is overseas, told Stabroek News that he does not think the theft would delay the project. However, he added that the site is still under the control of the contractor as it has not been handed over to the NDIA.
Wordsworth said that he was informed that it was 12 lengths of the “angle iron” that were stolen which were expected to be used to fabricate the pump door.
“But the theft would not delay the project the pumps have already been installed, they have been tested and they are working but the station was not set to be opened on Tuesday (tomorrow)”, Wordsworth said. He described the equipment as “new high capacity pumps” which are much more powerful than what existed previously.
Wordsworth said because the site is still under the control of the contractor he could not say what the cost of the stolen iron was.
Yesterday the workmen were still at the site doing some work but they said had it not been for the theft the project would have almost been completed as the door would have been built. The men said that the last time the iron was seen was two Saturdays ago and it was only on Saturday last when they were about to start building the door that the iron was discovered missing. The iron was said by them to be valued around $300,000.
“The boss was called in, he come down and he say he going and get the police,” one of the workmen said.
At the time, the pump attendant, who according to his wife has been working at the location for close to 30 years, was at the site along with the watchman. The workers said that it was the attendant who hired the guard after they commenced the project about three months ago.
Before the police arrived on the scene the watchman reportedly fled the location and the pump attendant, who has denied any knowledge of the iron, was arrested and his wife said it is not clear if he would be bailed soon.
Wordsworth could not say how long the pump attendant has been employed at the station but said it has been for a number of years. And while there was never any problem in relation to theft, he said there were some issues in relation to the “normal operational process” which he was forced to be bring to the attention of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and some disciplinary actions were taken. The pump attendant was hired by the RDC.
“I was in Georgetown when he get lock up and when I come home my son tell me how he get lock up and he at the La Grange Police Station,” the woman said.
She said she immediately journeyed to the station where she saw her husband. “He tell me is some iron get thief and I ask he if he involve and he say no and I start fuh cry and he call de police and say ‘look, get this woman out of here’”, the woman said.
She has not seen him since but said she has been taking meals for him at the station. According to the woman her husband’s years of service says a lot about his character adding that since he has been at the location there was never any problems with any item being missing.
The watchman has not been seen since Saturday afternoon.
“Is he [the watchman] gat to know about dem iron I ent know why deh lock up de (attendant),” a resident said yesterday as he was passing the location.
The pump attendant’s wife said she only hopes the man turns himself over to the police but noted that she has since been told that unless the man admits to stealing the iron then her husband would be charged.
“I don’t know wah guh happen but he never thief nothing and if he deh lock he up how the pump guh open,” the woman said even though she acknowledged that because of the ongoing installation there has been no need to open and close the pump.
The investigation continues.
