City Engineer, Colvern Venture is to proceed on one month’s suspension after allegedly breaching procedure while on sick leave.
At a statutory city council meeting held on Monday, a motion was moved to have the officer suspended.
Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore, during an interview with Stabroek News disclosed that the intention is to have Venture proceed on suspension almost immediately.
He explained that acting Town Clerk Julian Orgistra will now act by writing a letter to Venture relating to him the position of the council.
Mentore disclosed that the reason behind the council’s action came after Venture, while on sick leave, wrote to the Local Government Commission and the Mayor, Ubraj Narine, complaining about a particular issue that occurred at the council in relation to matters affecting the council.
The Deputy Mayor pointed out that if Venture is on sick leave and a team member is acting in his place, then he had no right to write the letter when he was not on duty, but rather, should have done so when he had resumed work.
He stated that the officer did not follow the rules, hence “he now puts himself in a bad place.”
Councillor Heston Boswick, who originally moved the motion to have the City Engineer suspended, stated that Venture was found guilty of breaching the procedure and believes that he should be answerable to the council or face suspension for his conduct.
He further disclosed that he will not allow “this year” to be one where officers disrespect the councillors or engage in substandard conduct, but rather, any officer disrespecting the council must be dealt with.
It was stated that Venture proceeded on sick leave between the period of January 4 to January 24 and on January 18, while on sick leave, he wrote an official letter to the Local Government Commission.
In the letter seen by this newspaper Venture registered his concerns over a statement made by Mayor Narine with regard to sending him home by any means necessary.
