The Chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of Corriverton, Bhawase Harripaul says that he is duly-elected to head and manage its affairs.
He further stated that the recently-installed IMC is a legal body which was put there by the Minister of Local Government, Ganga Persaud.
The comments came in the wake of ousted Corriverton Mayor, Roy Baijnauth stating that he is still the Mayor of the border town.
Baijnauth and his councillors were removed from office in May and were given no formal notification by the relevant authorities. Baijnauth had said that he was disappointed at the manner in which the procedure for choosing an IMC was carried out. He stated that all he received was a fax titled ‘Public Notice’ informing his (former) town clerk of the names of the new persons on the IMC.
The current IMC has 12 members. It is also alleged that the current IMC has only PPP members whereas the former Municipality had PNC members and PPP members. Harripaul said that he could not comment on the fact that Baijnauth was not properly informed to demit office, “but when we took office…I can’t say all the IMC members are PPP…and I have never seen them on PPP platforms and I can’t just judge the people and say they are PPP…everyone has their own political persuasion and I am not going to question that”.
Harripaul showed Stabroek News the letters from the Local Government Minister informing each IMC member of their appointment. He also showed this paper the oath of office each IMC member took and their signatures on the oath. “I can’t see how he (Baijnauth) is the mayor and we (the IMC) get something official from the government, you understand?”
He said there is no political or power vacuum in the town. “There is no power vacuum…the politicians installed us, so we don’t have a political vacuum”. He said that he does not know how this IMC has no APNU or AFC members and directed this paper to the Minister of Local Government. Several attempts to reach him proved futile.
Harripaul, in speaking to this newspaper for the first time, said that he is in charge of Corriverton and works are moving apace in the town.
Vice-Chairman of the IMC, Shantaram Sugrim, said that the body is going out and meeting the people like never before in the town’s history. “We decided to go about and reach the people and formulated committees in different wards in the town…and ward reps…we are seeing the results of going to the people and having interactions with the people”. He said that the IMC “is playing on the sentiments of the people and saying ‘we need you [the people’”. Corriverton is made up of fifteen wards namely Line Path, Calcutta, Number 78, Springlands, Race Course, Number 79, Rampoor, etc. Corriverton has a population of about 2,000. The town is the closest point to Nickerie, Suriname and is the place where the famous ‘Backtrack’ operations to Suriname exist.
Harripaul said that the people of the town are hungry to be a part of the decision-making process, which was never there before. “They were eager to offer advice and recommendations and many of them, they contributed towards the development of their communities”.
“Things are happening…we have plans for Corriverton”, he said, such as resuscitating the community grounds, many of which were owned by the town and covered by bush. They also have plans to dig the trenches and clean them, “also we are hoping that we have some money from somewhere to rebuild the town hall, which is an eyesore”.
The Town Clerk, Narendra Sookram, revealed that the annual $8M subvention programme will kick in shortly “and we will be expending that in the town and it will go specifically in capital projects”.
Garbage collection and disposal is one of the major concerns in Corriverton. Harripaul said that “many of the drains have been blocked up and people are clamouring for assistance so we are in the process…but we are handicapped because out of 22 Drainage & Irrigation workers, we only have 6, so we are in need of manpower”. He said that even though the town has advertised for D&I workers, the response has been lukewarm. “People are complaining the wage is too small”. Each D&I worker received $25,000 per month to work 16 half-days. The IMC is also seeking permission from the Sea Defence Board to construct a recreation park so that children and families can enjoy the breeze from the famous Corentyne River.
