Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green said that he is in a “proactive mood” this year as he addressed councillors at the first statutory meeting of the year for Mayor and City Council (M&CC) yesterday.
Green made those comments as he inquired about the inefficient functioning of the City Engineer’s Department. An upset Green asked over and over why it was that the City Engineer’s Department took so long to approve plans for citizens, who in some instances are seeking permission to do simple renovations or construction. “I am not prepared to frustrate the public… because the paper work takes five days,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green added that they had already established that these things should be addressed by the City Engineer’s Department rather than being sent to this and that committee before a decision is made. Mayor Green then stated that he hopes they have a programme of work sorted out by the City Engineer’s Department.
Mayor Green also mentioned that he had met Minister within the Ministry of Local Government Norman Whittaker and the question about the Haag Bosch landfill was discussed.
He said, “I pointed out to him that we are not interested in adjusting the hours but expanding them.”
Haag Bosch has been at the centre of discussion recently after Green stated that the site was closed early during the holiday season when the council had asked for its opening hours to be extended to increase the garbage collection cycle.
However, Whittaker had said that the closure of the site was because the M&CC could not bear the cost of the extra opening hours.
With regard to the eight garbage trucks that were down for repairs Chase-Green said she found it strange that the minister said he was informed about the trucks when systems were put in place to facilitate minor repairs of the vehicles. “Money was allocated to the workshop but I don’t know what happen…,” she said.
Because the eight trucks were down, it had affected the council’s ability to clear garbage from certain areas including North-East La Penitence, East Ruimveldt, Lamaha Gardens, Lamaha Springs, North and South Cummingsburg and Kingston, in the earlier part of this month the council had said in a press release.
The mayor also informed councillors that other development issues were discussed at the meeting with Whittaker including the possibility of developing a municipal court to deal with delinquent taxpayers.
On this issue, Green said, Whittaker informed him that he will look at the proposal.
