Forensic audit is necessary at City Hall - Deputy Mayor

Forensic audit is necessary at City Hall – Deputy Mayor

Apr 04, 2016 News

Newly installed Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan has made it clear that a forensic audit is necessary at City Hall, in view of the fact that a new Council is taking over. Duncan has stated that an audit should be entered into in good faith.
He expressed these sentiments at City Hall, after his election on Friday. Patricia Chase-Green was elected as the city’s new Mayor and 30 Councilors as determined in the recently concluded Local Government Elections (LGE), were sworn in.
“That is one of the things I think is necessary,” Duncan stated. “The Mayor has been here before as part of Council, but in good faith for the persons that are taking over I think it is something that should be looked into.”
After the LGE debate of March 6, Duncan had been one of the five debaters who had been united in expressing the need for a forensic audit of City Hall, the others being Mark Benschop, Clayon Halley, Dr. Phillip Thomas and Michael Leonard.
Since the change in Government in May of 2015, City Hall, in consort with the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government has embarked on a massive city wide cleanup campaign.
It has produced radical results, with many areas which were riddled with sanitary issues now garbage free. However, the allocation of contracts has been criticized by some sections of society on the basis that the works were not advertised.
Meanwhile, Duncan also made it clear that there will now be a shifting of gears, to get down to the ‘nitty gritty’ of work. He also expressed confidence in the relationship the Council will have with the public, including vendors.
“I intend to get to work for the city of Georgetown. It is no longer a campaign; we represent the citizens of Georgetown. And we have to represent them well and bring to reality the change that they expect from us.”

Georgetown’s first and second citizens; Mayor Patricia Chase-Green (left) and Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan

“I am looking forward to a better working relationship among the Councilors, a better tone at City Hall with the public and the vendors from this Council.”
This is a reference to the sometimes contentious relationship that City Hall has shared with vendors who ply their trade at certain areas which they are deemed to be encumbering.
Apart from Mayor Patricia Chase Green, Duncan will be serving with Heston R. Bostwick, Tamashwar Budhoo, Carolyn A. Caesar, Noelle Chow-Chee, Oscar Clarke, Welton D. Clarke, Yvonne Ferguson, Malcolm ‘Wickedee’ Ferreira, Gregory Fraser, Junior Garrett, Carlyle Goring, Linda Gomes-Haley, Winston Harding and Ivelaw Henry.
Also on the council are Lyndon Hilliman, Salima Bacchus-Hinds, Lionel Jaikaran, Bishram Kuppen, Desiree Liverpool, Andrea Marks, Alfred Mentore, Roopnarine Persaud, Akeem Peter, Trichria Richards, James Samuels, Phillip Nathaniel Smith, Monica Thomas and Sophia Whyte.
City Hall’s next statutory meeting will be on April 11.