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Deputy Mayor kept in the dark about Panama Trip
Controversy continues to mount over the presence of Georgetown City Council officials in Central America. Deputy Mayor of Georgetown Sherod Duncan informed Kaieteur News yesterday that he was not told anything about the trip to Panama by the council’s delegation.
The group which seems to be making unofficial visits on a whim has reportedly not informed the council of the planned activities before leaving the country.
The delegation includes the Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase-Green, Chairman of the Finance Committee Oscar Clarke, Junior Garrett, who is a member of the finance committee and Town Clerk Royston King.
The group of four had first received criticism from councillors and members of society regarding their secret and unofficial visit to Mexico earlier this month.
Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan
They had visited Mexico along with the Chief Executive Officer of National Parking Systems, Kamau Cush, whom the Mayor and her team had agreed to award the unpopular parking meter project.
The visit to Panama therefore comes as another surprise to those at home. It is believed that the visit to Panama, specifically Panama City Beach municipality was to assess the use of parking meters in the Panama City area since NPS had allegedly installed meters in the Panamanian town.
NPS credibility still remains uncertain especially since this publication had recently conducted an investigation which proved that the company does not even occupy an office at the address given on its website.
As it relates to finances, the Town Clerk and Mayor had assured Guyanese that the City Treasury will not spend on the project. Despite this, it is still a major concern since two members of the Council’s finance committee are part of the team.
It is also unclear where the funding for the Mexico and Panama trips have been sourced, whether NPS has been underwriting the expenses or the team has been sponsoring themselves.
No technical personnel was taken on the controversial trips, including the City Engineer Colvern Venture. It is a mystery as to what technological ‘know how’ members of the group possess in order to competently examine and assess the parking meters.
The project continues to attract much negative attention due to the protocols followed by those at the helm of council. There was no consultation done with the residents of Georgetown before agreeing to have it implemented.
Additionally, the project did not undergo a bidding process. As a result, there is doubt that a fair procedure was employed to select NPS to move ahead with the project.
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It is unethical for any private business, seeking to do business with any level of government, to finance trips or give gifts, including monetary or kind, to any government official or employee or for any employee to receive such.
If the trips to Mexico and Panama were paid for by the firm seeking to set up the parking meter operation, then the mayor and her entourage should reimburse the firm and the firm barred for five years from doing any business with any level of government.
It appears to me that corruption always existed in the City Council, because this highly questionable trip should not have happened, let alone within the short time since LGE was held.