Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan and the other councillors yesterday toured several of the city’s ongoing projects.
“We visited the facilities that are managed by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to see what’s happening. They would’ve seen plans on paper as to the end product, but all in all the orientation would be the council’s very first time and a lot of expectations were out there before the candidates came in,” Chase-Green stated. The councillors visited the Muneshwer’s and JP Santos sluices, the South Ruimveldt and Albouystown health centres, and the Presidential Park, which is under construction.
“We will have a wrap-up session where they will address all of their concerns. Some were excited and others were even surprised and didn’t know that the council did all of this work because as usual people just thought the council was concerned with drainage and collecting garbage but it’s beyond that and so with this new knowledge they would’ve gained over the couple of days they will be able to come to some conclusions,” Chase-Green added. She said the councillors should have acquired knowledge that will influence them in working towards the interest of the city as a collective body.
Asked what would happen if councillors wanted to change any of the projects that have already been embarked on, Chase-Green said the decision lies solely with them. “It’s before them and if they want to change anything or might want to alter it then they will have to get a two-thirds vote. We will inform them of what was started by the previous council and if they want to alter and change it then it will be discussed and the council will have to make the decision. But I don’t see any councillor who would disagree with the projects, especially the Presidential Park,” Chase-Green added.
Councillor Malcolm Ferreira, of Team Legacy, who won and now represents Constituency 10, said the exercise was welcome and he is looking forward to more of the same. “Thus far we got to tour a few of the sluice areas and we went the clinic in Albouystown and the Presidential Park and I think it’s quite interesting,” he said. He noted that councillors needed the exercise to get an idea of the things that fall under the control of the M&CC and said he believed there is a need for more exercises of the sort so they can have a better understanding of what the city controls and everything else that is attached to it.
“Well it is good that we had everyone get a firsthand look at some of the things that affect the residents of Constituency 10, like the Sussex Street canal that needs a comprehensive plan,” he added, while stating that he would be lobbying for the council to develop several play areas so that the youths can use their energies more positively.
Tameshwar Boodhoo, a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) councillor elected through Proportional Representation, also lauded the exercise. “It was a very good activity because it helps us to understand basically… the day-to-day operations of the city, …the mandatory work that the city has to execute in order for the successful development of this city,” he said. He stated that in order for there to be successful development of the city the councillors need to be provided with an in depth view of the ongoing projects.
Meanwhile, Chase-Green said that the women on the council are looking into forming a women’s arm. “We want to…because we have quite a number of females on the council and a lot of female issues we would’ve seen as we visited areas with female staff,” she said, stating that they would be working vibrantly on women’s rights issues.
