Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
Nov 01, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
Jet setting municipal officials from the Georgetown Municipality are once again getting ready to embark on yet another lavish overseas jaunt. Where might it be to this time? Could it be that they have their eyes set on a beautiful exotic and vibrant island in Europe where opulence and luxury abound?
What will be the excuse for this junket? Another useless local government conference?
The question on everybody’s mind as City Hall continues to splurge millions on hotel accommodation, on meal and out of pocket allowances etc on ‘Adventurous Pat and her Entourage’ for these profligate trips, is how do the bigwigs at City Hall feel about the fact that poor citizens have to live in squalor in our capital that is bereft of the most basic of municipal services, whilst they spend large sums of money on luxury travel?
But is it not ironic that they would want to visit somewhere where the waters around are the cleanest and the clearest in the Mediterranean, whilst in Georgetown, the drains are clogged with unmentionables, the pumps are malfunctioning and the canals and outfalls are in dire need of dredging?
How could they honestly enjoy these deluxe experiences, personalized services, gourmet meals, and beautiful surroundings whilst the lower level of workers constantly stress about receiving their salaries late and all the expenses and interest they face as a consequence?
What direct benefits does the city and its residents receive from these trips? Do they collect donated refuse collecting equipment, do they bring back street lights, road building equipment, or food items needed for the Day Care school feeding programmes etc? Or do they just go and enjoy the spas, infinity pools, steam rooms, saunas, state-of-the-art gyms, the flowing champagne and 24-hour concierge?
It is unthinkable that rather than settling their debts to the garbage contractors, to GPL, to GRA and NIS the FANTASTIC FOUR considers it a priority to constantly travel in style enjoying a maximum of pleasure and a minimum of stress.
I am certain that no other Mayor or Town Clerk from around the world, or at least not from a city as supposedly broke as ours, travels as much as Pat & Roy. Their frequent flyer miles must certainly rival those earned by the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Is it not instructive that they are choosing to travel just before Christmas when they can visit the many luxury stores and ‘shop till they drop’ where there will be plenty of opportunity to spend a lot of money amidst the casinos, operas, and theatres, whilst other municipal workers are not given that opportunity to travel and who cannot even afford to shop locally?
And the Public Relations Officer of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has the gall to say that their 2018 budget will be fashioned against the needs of citizens in various communities.
Sincerely,
Shanta Singh
Jan 17, 2025
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