City Councillors from the PPP/C and Team Legacy have criticised the monopolising of the seats on the city’s key Finance Committee by the governing APNU+AFC.
At the council’s inaugural meeting on April 1, all seven seats were taken by APNU+AFC despite the fact that three other groups are represented on the body.
Team Legacy’s Carolyn Caesar-Murray who was the only non-coalition councillor nominated for membership in the committee is disappointed that the other groups will not be represented.
“We are looking for inclusiveness. We understand that we can be on other committees but the finance committee is one of the most important and we would’ve love to be included. Every committee should have an independent group represented,” she told Stabroek News.
PPP/C councillor Bishram Kuppen shares her disappointment.
“Only one party is there. The two PPP/C councilors did not nominate anyone because we assumed we would not be supported. It was clear they have already selected members. There were persons reading from little pieces of paper. This is not good for transparency or in keeping with the message of unity that is being preached. There should’ve been more magnanimity in the process,” he told Stabroek News, adding that “overall the finance committee will still have to bring all decisions to the full council so we will have input there but all groups should be properly represented on committees.”
Mayor Patricia Chase-Green responding to questions on the matter said “as far as I am aware there are seven members of the finance committee. There were eight nominees it just so happened that the 7 winners were coalition members,” she said, adding that their exclusion from membership does not prevent them from participating in the deliberations of the committee.
“Any member of the council is allowed to go to any committee and sit in at meetings and offer advice and make recommendations. What they do not have on that committee if they are not a member is a vote. If I disagree with a course of action taken by the committee, I can sit and discuss it at the meeting. I also have a vote at full council where all reports and recommendations of the committee are brought for approval,” she explained. Chase-Green is also a representative of APNU+AFC.
Oscar Clarke who was elected as chair of the committee noted that “the committee was elected not selected.”
“My inclination is that each group should be represented on each committee but the vote did not yield that reality. It was not discussed before and agreed it just so happened that that’s how the vote went,” he said. He also maintains the view that the other groups were not marginalized.
“I don’t know what will happen in the other committees. I hope the other groups are represented as it is important for them to serve and get the experience,” he said.
The present members of the finance committee are Chair Oscar Clarke, who is the General Secretary of the PNCR as well as former chair Junior Garrett, and new councilors Alfred Mentore, Sophia Whyte, Ivelaw Henry, Yvonne Ferguson and Linda Gomes-Haley.
The phenomenon of an all-coalition council has been repeated in the four other municipalities the government controls.
The members of the New Amsterdam finance committee are Buster Wright, Winifred Heywood, Patricia Lynch, Polliann Shultz, William Moore, Leroy Grant and Eusi Smith.
In Linden the lone Linden 2020 member on the council, Loma Moseley is not bothered by her exclusion from the committee. She believes that her contribution to the council can still be meaningful outside of that committee.
In Lethem, the committee is led by Deputy Mayor Maxine Welch. Other members are Arena Landry, Jessica George, Kerry Jarvis and Jason Wilson.
Meanwhile, in the PPP/C-controlled councils of Corriverton and Rose Hall at least one member of this committee is from the less represented party or group.
In Rose Hall, the Finance Committee members are Vijay Ramoo (chair), Kamla Marriemootoo, Danraj Samaroo, Elvis Punch and Rukmin Ramcharran. Ramcharran is a member of APNU+AFC.
The Corriverton finance committee comprises Krishnanand Jaichand, Latchmee Edwards, Sheik Mahmood, Pradeep Ketwaroo and Jamna Ghamandi of the PPP/C. The final member is Evertt Hearewood who is one of the two representatives of the New Dawn Development Association.
