Latest update April 5th, 2025 12:59 AM
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M&CC has fundamental problem
– Green admits
The fact that the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) are financially challenged when it comes to paying their staffers, among other things, was regarded as a fundamental problem by City Mayor Hamilton Green.
Mayor Green’s remark comes in the wake of the recent recommendation that the municipality pay its Guyana Labour Union-represented workers more than $38M in retroactive payments, which represents increases for the years 2007 and 2008.
City Mayor, Hamilton Green
Following a recent meeting between municipal and union officials, it was agreed that the workers will receive 50 per cent of the retroactive monies on their salaries this month end.
But, according to the mayor, the question of the municipality’s ability to pay in the first instance must be considered.
“The situation is that for years we have tried to carry a staffed establishment, for which we do not have the current and capital resources. The impression I get is that none of us wishes to bite the bullet and come to the realisation that, as it is, the operation of the municipality is beyond our financial ability.”
Mayor Green disclosed that, in the municipality’s budget presentation three years ago, Deputy Mayor Robert Williams had made the point that the price for every item has gone up, even as he had highlighted the fact that the municipality has been unable to broaden its revenue base.
As a result, the mayor emphasised, it is with lesser revenue that the municipality is forced to retain staffers that have quite understandably sought and secured increases.
According to the mayor, often, charades of not being able to afford certain materials to carry out works are embraced by City officials, yet more staffers than needed are retained.
“We have reached the point of absurdity. We are seeking to pay workers when we don’t have the tools for them to do work with, and workers are left idle for hours.”
He stressed that the situation has reached such an alarming extent that the municipality “cannot repair one foot of road, including those around City Hall which are filled with a number of disgraceful potholes.”
The municipal situation, he said, is compounded by its inability to pay its utility bills, even as he added that the entity is indebted to the Guyana Power and Light as well as the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company.
A court matter currently exists which is expected to determine the level of indebtedness of the municipality and the Guyana Water Incorporated to each other.
Even simple things as acquiring a photocopier is beyond the municipality’s financial reach, according to the City Mayor, who pointed out that all of the small matters that exist at the municipality amounts to the microcosm of what the municipality actually faces.
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