Port Maria Mayor slams his road and works dept

PORT MARIA, St Mary — Mayor of Port Maria Fitzroy Wilson has blasted the Road and Works Department in the municipal corporation he leads for what he described as its woefully inadequate pace of work and confusing lines of authority. “The work ethic and the pace at which work is being delivered is unacceptable,” Wilson said during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St Mary Municipal Corporation. “What is even more troubling is the confusion over who is in authority to execute specific jobs or provide oversight for them. Nobody seems to know who is responsible for what,” said an irritated Wilson. In providing an example of the deficiencies the mayor revealed that one of the corporation’s water trucks is currently out of service and needs repairs. “No one sees that it needs to be done. It is delivering water and most of the water is being wasted because of a leaking hose,” said Wilson who noted that this is negatively impacting communities served by the corporation. The mayor also pointed to what he said were delays in giving councillors assessments of projects within their divisions. “All our problems lie at the foot of the Road and Works Department,” Wilson declared. He said he will be insisting that the department’s CEO moves swiftly to meet with the corporation’s leadership to clarify roles, address issues with the water truck, and provide a clear timeline for outstanding projects. “We cannot continue like this. We need accountability and we need action now,” said a strident Wilson. — Ingrid Henry