Dear Editor,
Please refer to an article which appeared in Stabroek News of Thursday, June 5, captioned ‘Linden municipality operating illegally as budget not approved -IMC Head.’ The penultimate paragraph states: “According to the Linden IMC Chairman, two other municipalities, Georgetown and New Amsterdam, are in the same predicament. He elaborated: “The budgets for the three PNC-controlled municipalities have not been approved. There are operating illegally…”
However, we wish to note that, according to the Municipal District Council Act, Chapter 28:01, Section 153 to 154-153 -“(1) The City Council and the town Council shall, not later than the fifteenth day of November in every year, cause to be submitted to them estimates of the revenues and expenditure council for the next financial year.
“(2) Copies of the estimates approved by the Council shall be submitted to the Minister and copies shall be open for public inspection at its offices and notice thereof shall be published by the Council: and the notice shall refer to the right of inspection.
“154 – (1) The City Council and the Town Council shall not later than the thirty-first day of March in every year submit to the Minister a report in writing containing an account of all moneys received, expended and applied during the preceding financial year.
“(2) Copies of the report shall be open for public inspection at the office of the council and notice thereof shall be published by the council: and the notice shall refer to the right of inspection.”
It stands to reason that, the Minister does not have to approve the budget of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council.
Under the same law at section 160: “If it appears to the City Council or to the Town Council after the commencement of any financial year that insufficient provision has been made in the estimates for that year, such council may, not later than the thirty-first day of May in that year, cause to be submitted to it supplementary estimates of income and expenditure for that year; and if it so appears to a town council and a district council, it may, not later that the said day prepare and submit to the Minister for his approval supplementary estimates of income and expenditure for that year.”
“Section 153 (2) and section 157 shall have effect in relation to supplementary estimates of the City Council and of the Town Council as they have in relation to estimates caused to be submitted to them under section 153; and section 156 and 157 shall have effect in relation to the supplementary estimate of a town council and a district council as they have in relation to estimates prepared and submitted under section 155.” Accordingly, it is clear that the Minister approves supplementary estimates and expenditure for the Council.
Yours faithfully,
Royston King
Mayor and Councillors
City of Georgetown
