The absence of the Local Government Commission is a calamity

Apr 03, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
The blatant disregard by the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown to advice given to it by the government, in the form of the concerns expressed by the Ministries of Finance and Public Infrastructure and the Attorney General’s Office, the flouting of a decision made by cabinet and the contempt shown to the Minister of Communities in the suspension of the parking meter contract is astounding and unacceptable to say the least, but more worrying are the circumstances that seem to suggest that Georgetown has become a City-State like Rome, Athens and Carthage were in the ancient world with its own government and sovereignty.
With the absence of a Local Government Commission which in itself is a calamity and which goes against the pretension of local autonomy, the function and responsibility of disciplining the Town Clerk lies with the Minister of Communities.
The reason why the Minister is not seeking to ‘reign in this unruly horse’ is beyond the imagination of any citizen.
How much longer must the vendors be chased from pillar to post around town at the fancies of this gentleman, who has total disdain for their representatives, the Guyana Market Vendors Union? And what of the Kitty Market vendors? When will they get their home back in comfortable circumstances and not a sweatshop?
How much longer must the citizens of Georgetown be subjected to having to pay increased property rates when the Council’s budget, for the second year in a row, has not been published for public scrutiny nor have their accounts been audited or qualified in more than a decade.
How much longer will municipal workers be forced to operate in dilapidated buildings, and receive their paltry salaries and wages late except for the bigwigs with the super salaries, whilst a few contractors cart off hundreds of millions of dollars each month in violation of tender and procurement procedures?
When will the Deputy Mayor’s pleadings be heeded and this Town Clerk be stopped in his March of Folly? Is it going to be when the municipality is totally destroyed and its finances decimated? Or when the city is abandoned by the business sector and all the citizens left on their knees?
Jermain Johhson

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