Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine, has written to City Engineer, Colvern Venture, instructing him to remove the Bar-B-Que structure erected outside the St Pius X Church at Middle Road, La Penitence.
In a letter titled `The lawlessness outside of St Pius X Church may soon get out of control’ sent to Stabroek News by Ronald Shepherd and published on December 9, the writer addressed Ministers Juan Edghill (Public Works) and Nigel Dharamlall (Local Government) pointing to a construction that first appeared as a temporary Bar-B-Que hut but which has now been transformed into a permanent concrete structure on the city’s drainage reserve outside the southern perimeter fence of the St. Pius RC Church.
The writer informed both Ministers that because of the nature of the business conducted on the premises, sanitary conditions have rapidly deteriorated, and this has been having a deleterious impact on the church’s adherents especially during hours of worship. The writer then asked that both Ministers intervene to have the structure removed. The writer further noted that the Mayor and City Council employees do traverse the area and, therefore, are aware of the existing structure. “It’s inexcusable to allow our places of worship to be desecrated to this extent without no redress in sight. I am asking you two Ministers, please stop this lawlessness from getting out of control,” the writer said.
On Friday, Narine sent to Stabroek News, a letter signed by him and addressed to Venture admitting that the specific matter was indeed brought to his attention since September 2020. In the letter shared with Stabroek News, the Mayor said that he reported the matter to Town Clerk (Ag), Sherry Jerrick, who then gave instructions for Venture to have the structure removed. The Mayor noted in his letter that since then, the structure has been made into a permanent concrete structure. Mayor Narine said that he is now directly instructing Venture to have the structure removed immediately. He further said, “I would not be taking the blame for your continuous negligence where your duty is concerned”.
Along with the correspondence shared with Stabroek News, the Mayor attached several WhatsApp conversations, dated September 27, 2020, between himself and Venture. According to these messages, the Mayor informed Venture that he needed the structure outside of the St. Pius Church to be removed. Venture responded to Narine saying that he was informed by one ‘Kelman’ that the persons who erected the food hut ‘are paying the City Council’. Mayor Narine, in his retort, stated that that was not an excuse for the structure to be there.