A POSITIVE STATEMENT

Jul 27, 2010 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Whatever one feels about the current administration or its sincerity about working to improve the state of Georgetown, it makes a great deal of sense to test the intentions of the government especially following a promising statement.
At his most recent press conference, the President of Guyana did not lambaste the City Council. Instead he used the opportunity to indicate that despite the problems, the government has to and will work to improve Georgetown.
This is a positive statement of intent, the sincerity of which must be put to the test.
It is a departure from the traditional blame game between the Council on the one hand which has accused the administration of frustrating the municipality’s revenue earning potential, and the government which on the other hand believes, not without some merit, that there are serious problems in the way things are administered at City Hall.
For weeks now there has been a withdrawal of the regular collection of garbage by the private companies which were contracted by the Council to provide this service. The three companies, it is said, are collectively owed a large sum of money which the Council cannot find.
The government is obviously frustrated by what is taking place but at the same time recognises that it simply cannot ignore the problem. A health crisis is already in the making and the government therefore is expected to act.
But it would not wish obviously to be drawn into the usual cycle whereby there is a temporary reprieve whereby the contractors are paid and six months later, the Council will again be cash -strapped, forcing another round of withdrawal of regular garbage disposal services.
What is needed is a permanent fix, and the government would be expected to play a role in this, since not to be involved may invite a greater crisis for the capital city whose population is greater than any other area or town.
How can a solution be found to the present crisis in a way that would not lead to another crisis six months away?
To find a solution requires that both sides refrain from the blame game and instead, concentrate their efforts at creating a partnership in which the government will assist in return for fundamental reforms at City Hall.
There is precedent for such an arrangement. Not so long ago, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding whereby the government committed to provide $10 million per month for prescribed works. Funds were released in accordance with an agreement which had performance benchmarks.
This agreement can be replicated in finding a solution to the present crisis. But it will require both sides to agree to do certain things. The following are some points that can guide the process:
1. Government should undertake responsibility for the collection of household, garden and construction refuse in the city. Government would exclusively be responsible for hiring and paying contractors to collect the refuse. The contractors should be hired by government in a process that is fair and transparent.
2. Government should pay for this service through the taxes that it would normally pay to City Council.
If the taxes are insufficient to pay for this service, then the government should agree to foot the remainder of the cost to ensure that there is a reliable service of refuse collection.
3. City Hall should agree to specific cuts in its managerial costs which the government claims is too high.
4. The markets should be placed on a self-sustaining financial plan i.e, rentals and fees charged should be sufficient to cover the expenses of administering markets. This may result in increase rentals.
5. In return, all illegal vending, including vending from motor vehicles, should be outlawed. It is unfair to ask market vendors to pay higher rentals when they are not protected against unfair competition from illegal vendors.
6. City Hall should also agree to farm out non- core functions. The government should agree to absorb some of these services especially those relating to public health, while others such as day care centers should be farmed out to the private sector on a cost recovery basis.
7. City Hall should agree to special management committee to be appointed by the government to manage the affairs of the city until local government elections are held.
The city is in a crisis. Given the rains that are being experienced at the moment, an epidemic is a possibility. This would not be good for Guyana.
Instead of arguing with each other, both sides should sit and hammer out an agreement that would be in the best interests of the citizens of the city.
The statement made by the President sends a positive signal that the ruling administration is open to co-operation. Whatever doubts may exist about the sincerity of this statement, it is necessary to first test such sincerity before crying wolf.
It may however be asking too much for either side to make the first approach towards the other.
Perhaps the private sector can act as a bridge between the two and help to bring the sides together in creating a landmark pact that would pull Georgetown out of the crisis it now faces. It is worth a try.

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