City Hall 2014 budget…Minister’s rejection is to continue micro-management – Mayor

Mar 05, 2014 News

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By Zena Henry
City Mayor Hamilton Green has taken to task Minister within the Local Government Ministry Norman Whittaker, for his “indicated rejection” of the Council’s 2014 budget, claiming that negative reactions towards the municipality is for the continued micro-management of Georgetown.
Green spoke yesterday in retaliation to the allegations made by the Minister, immediately after the Council’s budget was presented to the public on Monday.  The Mayor expressed disappointment towards the Minister’s refusal of the budget before outlining several “very important” areas where he claimed the government was stifling the Council

in its pursuit of increasing its revenue base.
Minister Whittaker blamed the Council for not implementing a number of the recommendations made in the 2012 Keith Burrowes investigative report, formulated to better improve the managerial functions of City Hall. He accused Councillors of not being able to manage their money. He also said that the Council is using some 70 percent of the revenue collected to pay itself and staffers, but causing the Council’s more than 1.3 billion dollars in debts to remain. The Minister also said that the Council is overstaffed, with underutilized workers, before calling the 2014 estimates, “an exercise of adhocracy.”
Mayor Green posited however, that the government by various means has had a direct hand in the ailment of the Council.  He pointed to the delay of Local Government Elections which he believes will contribute significantly to the overall wellbeing of the municipality and its citizens. The Mayor also pointed to the government’s failure in working towards Georgetown’s restoration programme which was passed in Parliament almost a year ago; the government’s failure to sign the Local Government Service Commission Bill and adhere to the issue of fiscal transfers to the Council, the government’s (Finance Ministry’s) lax attitude in aiding with the much needed property re-evaluation programme,  and several inconsistencies where persons imposed on the Council have deliberately worked against the recommendations of the Council.
Green pointed out that while the Minister was casting blame on the Council, they (Councillors) are unable to implement the recommendations that are made, rather “it is the government-imposed Town Clerk (Carol Sooba)” who has to carry out the functions. It was insinuated that the Minister’s utterances are hypocritical since he was saying one thing and doing another, by having a government-controlled Town Clerk “sabotaging the efforts of the Council”.
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene expressed similar statements towards the Minister’s comments claiming that in some of the blame being placed on the Council, he (the Minister) is actually responsible for it. She pointed to some aspects for which the Minister is responsible, such as ensuring the implementation of the government-initiated Keith Burrowes report, but claims that when the Council tries to make the necessary steps it is stifled one way or another.
Several examples, including the lack of communication between the Council and the Local Government Ministry were explained when the Council proclaimed that “politics” was taking precedence over the well-being of the city.
The Deputy Mayor slammed the Minister for deliberately avoiding audience with the Council. She argued about the numerous occasions that they have sought an appointment with the Minister; to no avail. Neither the Minister nor President Donald Ramotar has ever visited the Council, she argued. Chase- Greene continued that while the Minister saw it fit to visit areas outside of the city for budget consultations, they never met with the City Council.
On the issue of rates and taxes, Chase- Greene admitted that a huge percentage of revenue is spent on the Council’s workforce; that she said, is because the Council is labour intensive, meaning that much of the Council’s functions are executed manually. She estimated that a mere 20 percent of the workforce is mechanized (uses machines).
The Deputy Mayor emphasized however that the Local Government Minister, who makes direct contact with principal officers such as the Town Clerk, City Engineer and Treasurer, bypasses the Mayor and his team. She reiterated that no Councillor goes out and ensures that recommendation or work is carried out, since it is the task of the Council’s administration headed by the “government -controlled Town Clerk” who at “her whims and fancies” makes decisions without Council’s approval.
City Hall estimates a $244M deficit which is said to still not exhibit the true position of the ailing Council. Their biggest concern is broadening their revenue base; an area the Council contends is difficult because of the Minister’s “imperial” but constitutional interference which is legal in the absence of the Local Government Service Commission, until the President assents to the Bill that will relieve the Minister of some powers.

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