November 25th, 2013

Dear Sir,

The Royal Gazette of Friday, November 22, 2013 had an article calling for the halt to a project within the Botanical Gardens, spearheaded by the Parks Department, for a maintenance yard.

Area resident Claire Smith is absolutely correct to call for a halt to the building. And whilst many of Ms. Smith’s comments from the RG article are valid, the principle point that needs to be made is that all Ministries should put on hold any works planned, whether approved by the Planning Department or not, UNTIL such time as the SAGE report is reviewed by the relevant Ministry to determine whether such works are needed.

SAGE calls for both outsourcing and some privatisation within the Parks Department. Therefore, building a staff and maintenance yard will be a waste of time and, more importantly, taxpayer monies as the facility may not be needed.

This example actually raises another important question. Are Ministers in Government directing their Permanent Secretaries or Directors to review all current and planned projects to determine the relevance of such works in light of the recommendations coming out of the SAGE report?

Something tells me that the right hand has no idea what is going on in the left hand, all to the detriment of the taxpayer.

My appeal to the Cabinet is to stop the leakage now.

Allan D. Marshall JP

St. George’s