Dear Editor,
So our President has demonstrated great perspicacity and perspicuity by declaring the city municipality a “disaster.” With equal insight and accuracy, he needs to add these words of truth: ‘caused entirely (100%) by the PPP and state’s deliberate suffocation of the democratically elected Mayor and Councillors of Georgetown.’
Every human activity from a little cookshop to a massive business enterprise requires both money and management for success, and the PPP government has deliberately denounced both.
Elsewhere I gave examples of our government starving us of money. When the PPP-named IMC managed the city for six months, the IMC stated that to deliver a proper service to citizens, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council would need more money.
Since the duly elected Mayor took office, every one of seventeen proposals and activities to generate money were frustrated by government without rhyme or reason – let Mr Ramotar deny this. From the beginning, except for the short period when Mr Prince Melville was Town Clerk, the Minister of Local Government effectively micro-managed the municipality (Harripersaud Nokta, Clinton Collymore, Kellawan Lall and Ganga Persaud); the present management is the worst we’ve had to endure.
Additionally, the government refuses to abide by the constitution which Mr Ramotar and his predecessors swore to uphold, by refusing to establish the Local Government Commission and continues to appoint and dismiss senior officers at the whim and fancy of the government.
The PPP administration has appointed three senior officers who do not have the necessary qualifications for the positions. Two are vital to the day-to-day management of the Council – the Town Clerk and City Treasurer. They then proceeded to appoint a Solid Waste Director who refused at a statutory meeting to answer questions about the garbage situation, but since he is one of the chosen ones nothing happens. It is the Mayor and Councillors who must bear the burden of the garbage city.
The above factors must lead to a ‘disaster,’ but now set aside the NCN propaganda. Who or what is the cause of this disaster? The victims are the citizens of Georgetown who deserve a better service.
Out of a regard for the high office of President, I apologize for mentioning NCN – another disaster. I did not say NICIL or drugs, or contracts, or the failure to hold local government elections. Are these disasters? Neither did I refer to the government refusal to compensate the Mayor and City Council for taking away the Luckhoo Swimming pool area (which belonged to the City Council) to build the Marriott Hotel – another disaster.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green
Mayor