As preparations for the Georgetown City Council's 2004 budget continues drivers of vehicles owned by the council were summoned to a meeting last Saturday morning by the chairman of the Finance Committee, Deputy Mayor Robert Williams to report on the state of their machines.

The deputy mayor brought the drivers and some supervisory and senior staff up to date on the finances which would be available to carry out the council's mandate while outlining what is expected to them in the year 2004.

" We must have adequate tools and equipment available to get the job done..." he told the workers form the various department gathered in the compound of the mechanical workshop on Princes street.

The chairman of the Finance Committee said among the pieces of equipment urgently needed are trucks, and excavators while emphasising the importance of maintenance and care of the council's assets.

The drivers were told to submit a list of the mechanical problems with which they are faced while on the job. These complaints would be collated and sent to city hall.

The deputy mayor pointed to several obsolete and derelict vehicles which were parked in the compound and expressed his dismay over the state of the area where vehicles are housed.

The drivers who were told in advance of the meeting submitted documents relating to the fitness of their vehicles, drivers' licences and insurance.

Each driver was required to stand by his vehicle and answer questions posed by the deputy mayor and the assistant city engineer Lloyd Alleyne.

The general complaint spearheaded by Mr. Alleyne was the foot-dragging by the city treasurer's department in approving funds for the maintenance of equipment.

The deputy mayor could not understand why a voucher for expenditure of more than a quarter-million dollars had been sought just to service a vehicle attached to the Town Clerk's office.

The officer from that office who was present was mandated to investigate.

In concluding his remarks the chairman of the council's finance committee announced that from this year "things will be done differently."

Do it yourself

Work is moving apace on the rehabilitation of the Stabroek Market clock with a ringing bell.

Staff employed by the city engineer's department are carrying out the repairs to the clock which has been out of service for a number of years.

During this week attention would be paid to the mechanical aspects of the clock and putting the bell in place by the end of this month.

Last year two experts from the Smithsonian Institute in the United States and a Guyanese electronics engineer had looked at the clock and had given it little chance of recovery unless the council was prepared to spend a large sum of money on the restoration of the facility.

It is hoped that between now and next month money would be allocated by the city 'fathers' and 'mother' for the painting of the structure both inside and outside. Having been taken on a tour last Saturday by the assistant city engineer the funds would be worth spending. The view from the top is breathtaking. Maybe Hamilton Green should spearhead a visit by councillors to witness the rehabilitation exercise after they had ascended the spiral stairs.

Liliendaal

The latest on the Liliendaal pumping station is that one of the two pumps is now operational following a total shutdown of the facility last week when the rains came.

A spokesman for the city engineer's department told this column that one of the pumps had overheated and had to be shut down so as to avoid damage to the equipment. This pump has been repaired.