Deputy mayor: CEO not co-operating

Deputy mayor of the Port-of-Spain City Corporation Keron Valentine says mayor Louis Lee Sing and CEO Winifred David seem to be at loggerheads and it is affecting the running of the corporation. And he is urging them to sit down and get their act together.

Valentine made the statement yesterday in response to questions from the T&T Guardian on the matter. He said all 12 councillors—one UNC, three Congress of the People (COP) and eight PNM—agree things were not happening as fast as they should. “Councillors are saying projects recommended since 2010 are still not implemented in their electoral districts,” he added.

Councillor Balliram Ramsuchit, a member of the COP, said he did not think the corporation was functioning properly. He said the CEO was the one to resolve the problem. He added: “If the top of any organisation is not functioning properly you will have a chain-reaction. We are not getting the full co-operation of the CEO. Most projects are not implemented and if one is, it takes very long.”

Giving an example, he added: “We have been here 25 months. It took us two years to get an elevator in the building. “There are three floors and women had to be traipsing up and down the stairs. $200,000 was set aside for the project but it was not done until recently.”

Lee Sing said he did not wish to comment, but said: “The council continues to encourage the CEO and the administration that it made an oath to leave Port-of-Spain in a better condition than in which it was met.” David could not be reached for comment yesterday as several calls to her cellphone went unanswered.