Dear Editor,
Citizens would have learnt of the exercise through the media on Tuesday at City Hall, when there was a rumour that the government had planned the imposition of an Interim Management Committee (IMC). Here I wish to express my gratitude to the way the workers and citizens who, at very short notice, rushed down to City Hall to offer their support for me and the council. This show of solidarity caused officers and ranks of the Guyana Police to descend on City Hall.
I noted with interest the Minister’s statement on the city; at the risk of repeating myself, it is deceptive for anyone to deny a person or an institution the facilities to govern, but when things go bad, blame them.
Briefly, from the very beginning, the PPP/C administration was aware of the relationship of money, manpower and materials to the management of our capital. Every effort to mobilize additional funds over the years were denied by the state’s bureaucracy; the examples are many: lotto; environmental tax; container tax; valuation of properties; a municipal court; the removal of sources of revenue such as the Stabroek ferry crossing; Stabroek Market car park; destruction of signs on our parapets, which earned us money; preventing GPL paying us a fee for poles planted on our parapets – the list is long and too painful.
I have mentioned these before, but they need repetition.
On the question of management, we have not objected to the ministry, through the Implementation Committee, under the control of Mr Keith Burrowes, interfacing with the administration at any level. Indeed, as recently as July 31, by letter addressed to the Town
Clerk (ag), Mr Keith Burrowes named a number of persons to oversee several aspects of the Treasurer, Town Clerk, Personnel, Engineer and Solid Waste Departments to “assist” with the implementation within the recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry (COI); we have no difficulty with this.
Recall recently, the council made a recommendation for persons to fill the top positions in the municipality; this was varied by the Minister. Here I am not dealing with either suitability or personalities, but the fundamental principle of a council’s decision being set aside.
In other words, the Minister and government, in spite of my complaints have, in fact, while suffocating the flow of funds also been on a merry path of micro-managing the city; there is no need to burden this letter with examples.
This is likely to be exacerbated by punitive action by certain state controlled utilities. The municipality owes large sums, but we all know the whole story.
How come now that there is an ongoing heightened crisis, the Minister seeks a solution by blaming the Mayor and Councillors, which he has already effectively miniaturized.
It is crystal clear that the citizens of Georgetown are being punished for not supporting the PPP/C at elections, local and national. If the Minister is really concerned about the health, welfare and appearance of the city (over 200 tons of waste every day) he should go beyond rhetoric, and in a collaborative effort with the private sector bring some relief to the garbage and other conditions in the city, hoping that deep down in his heart, he does not share the callous sentiment expressed by his predecessor, that he would be glad for a health crisis in the city.
As always, I stand ready to work cooperatively in an environment of mutual respect to provide a city that both the government and all of us should be proud of. It is possible, but as a contributor said at a meeting at the Impeccable Banquet Hall on July 17, 2012, our efforts are unlikely to be successful unless there is the active cooperation of the central government.
The Minister and the President should forget about the Mayor and Councillors, and do what is right and honourable to end this sad state of affairs in Georgetown.
As an aside, if they did this with sincerity, they would be likely to earn the appreciation of those who now are aware of the assault on the city.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green
Mayor
