M&CC expresses concerns over interference by Central Government

Jun 03, 2014 News

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– says Local Government Elections will put an end to controversy  

The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) continue to express concerns about the insistence of the Central Government to interfere with the internal management structure of the City Hall.
Owing to what is being described as an attack on the principles of democratic decency on the management of City Hall members and supporters of the M&CC, are calling on the administration to put an end to the controversy by holding Local Government Elections.
“We demand respect as duly elected councillors of the city of Georgetown…It is not an option. If they do not want that, let them call the Local Government Elections.
“Let us go to the polls and have change,” Deputy Mayor, Patricia Chase- Greene told media operatives, during a press briefing at the conference room of the National Library, on Friday.
She noted the recent actions of Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, where he sought to meet with officers of the council without the council’s permission, can best be described, “as absurd and totally disrespectful.”
“I do not know what the Minister is trying to do… but the officers are not being paid by the Minister of local Government but by the council…The Government has never bailed out this council,” Chase Greene stressed.
Over the past several months, the internal variances among officials of the (M&CC) have intensified, with the council blaming most of its administrative problems on the Government appointed Town Clerk, Carol Sooba.
Sooba was selected for the post by Minister Whittaker, who despite numerous objections and legal actions taken against him by the council continues to defend his appointment.
The council maintains that it is a local government authority with its powers and authority set out in the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01, with specific reference to sections three to eight which grants full authority to the body to carry out its mandate and responsibility to the citizens of Georgetown.
“For years, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development has used assumed powers, which he never had, to cow and bully the council, and, in particular, officers of the council, whose remunerations are paid out of the city treasury, to carry out the biddings of the government.”
“By doing that, and other things including starving the city of the governmental fiat, to implement revenue earning projects, to broaden council’s revenue base, the Minister had undermined the authority of the duly elected council.”
M&CC has noted that for many years the council has faced an invariable “no factor,” from the current administration.
“Many negatives have been put in place to stop the council from operating; it is the government, who had started to place the negativity on the panel.
“But we have tried in every single aspect to overcome, we are still trying and will continue and if we have the right tools to do our work we will do it,” Chase -Greene added.
The Council is also calling on all stakeholders to encourage the government to see the importance of Local Government Polls.
“The Council is calling on all citizens to urge the government to announce a date for the holding of local government elections. Citizens must not allow the government to continually deny them their constitutional rights to participate in voting for a local government body of the choice.
“It is the right of every citizen to have a say in who manage their local communities.”
In his brief remarks, Mayor Hamilton Green reminded the gathering that numerous proposals were made to broaden the Council’s revenue base but to no avail; some of the proposals require governmental permission.
“The government did not give its fiat to facilitate the implementation of those proposals. Had those proposals been implemented citizens would have had better quality of municipal services and improved local communities.”
Expressing his concerns for the issue, executive member of the Alliance For Change, (AFC), Michael Carrington, made a call to intensify the people’s power by way of mass protests and legal action to ensure that Local Government Elections are held.
Meanwhile, in spite of the current situation, efforts are being made by the council to advance in the business of managing the city.
“We have been talking to Community and other leaders about forming themselves into community groups. We have been encouraging them to mobilize resources and join with the city council to restore the health of their neighbourhoods.
“We have met with nongovernmental organizations and community based- organizations, and religious organizations and groups and individuals and discussed several proposals to advance the interest of the city.
“These include parking, drainage, uses of open spaces, and citizens’ participation in the decision making process at City Hall.”

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