Providing millions directly to city counselors is pre-election slush funding

Providing millions directly to city counselors is pre-election slush funding – Opposition

Jun 24, 2018 News

A plan to take millions of dollars from a Government subvention and directly give it to Georgetown City Councillors to spend on projects is being seen as misuse of public funds.
The decision by the council to move in this direction comes as preparations are in full swing for Local Government Elections (LGE) which are to be held before the end of the year.
Under the plan, each Councillor will be granted about $5M to complete development projects identified in communities across Georgetown. The monies will come from the $200M subvention allocated to City Hall in the Government’s 2018 Budget.
The coalition Government has majority control of the Council with 25 seats while the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and other groups control five.
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday citicised the Council and Government.
“This is taking public money and giving it to the politicians to spend in their constituencies and they will be contesting a competitive election. If this is not the most blatant act of misuse of public funds, nothing else is,” Jagdeo stated.
Council officials had confirmed that all of the projects are to be executed under the ‘Restoration Grant’. As part of the funding arrangement, there are provisions that the Councillors must use persons from within their respective constituencies.
Town Clerk Royston King said that the policy is expected to cover a number of issues including what makes a candidate eligible to obtain a contract, in accordance with the laws that govern the operations of City Hall.
In his remarks to the council, King specifically highlighted sections of the Municipal District and Council’s Act, which deals with the terms and conditions that a member of the Council, who might be interested in a specific contract, can benefit.
King has explained that the law does not prohibit members of the Council from benefiting from projects. “All that this means is that Councillors must disclose whether they may have a financial interest in a specific project or matter,”
The Town Clerk disclosed a draft of the framework will soon be available for dissemination to members of the council.
Additionally, he noted that a register will be created for the purpose of disclosures by Councillor who might be interested in special community projects slated to commence shortly.
Twelve constituencies have submitted proposals for projects and they were all given the green light by the Ministry of Communities. Constituency 1 – Kingston East & West, Thomas Lands, Non- Pariel Park, Cummingsburg, Alberttown and Queenstown –and Constituency 15 –Meadow Bank/Agricola were among the communities left to finalize their projects.

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Providing millions directly to city counselors is pre-election slush funding – Opposition

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