The newly formed council of the Bartica municipality is expecting to garner $64 million in revenue annually from various sources and services in Bartica.
Speaking to Stabroek News, Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshall said he was elated to have been able to hold the first statutory meeting last week Wednesday. He said the first items on the agenda were the reports of the two finance committee meetings which were held on April 2 and April 14. The finance committee is made up of Chairman Kenneth Williams, Vice-Chairman Kamal Persaud, Ivor Melville, Stanley Dutchin and Jasmattie Moungla.
Marshall explained that the main source of revenue is expected to come from the market, abattoir and building fees. Resources will also be secured from landing fees, leases and licenses, and property rates. Valuation of properties will be a priority for the new council since no new property assessment has been done for modern Bartica.
In terms of the budgetary allocations from central government, he said the council has submitted a draft budget for approval.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, the council nominated members for two statutory committees: works and social. For the Works Committee, Stanley Dutchin was nominated chairman, Harry Ramjag vice chairman, and Lloyd Garraway, Mark Ambrose and Duertta Fernandes as members. For the Social Committee, Caramel Williams was elected chairman, Ivor Melville as vice chairman, and Sonia Simmons, June Shurland and Orin Griffith as members.
Marshall said the council is currently preparing Bartica for its township declaration on May 7. President David Granger, ministers of government, mayors from the other municipalities and other government officials are expected to attend.
Marshall stated that after the declaration the council will have a number of assignments which include: educating Barticians on the greening of Bartica, efficient solid waste management, resident consultations on the draft land use plans for Bartica, introduction of religious/event tourism, hosting of economic seminars and events to boost the social and economic well-being of residents and the implementation of academic and technical programmes to positively aid the education system.
Deputy Mayor Kamal Persaud highlighted that another main area of focus for the council is the solid waste management project. She explained that they have already located sites to relocate the dumpsite and a landfill and are currently working towards doing such. “At Five Miles we have selected a location for the dumpsite and at Thirteen Miles on the Potaro Road we have selected for the landfill,” she explained, stating that they have also been paying keen attention to beautifying the town and they have started working on the burial grounds which were left with overgrown bushes.
In addition, Persaud explained that the council was also contemplating a symbol for the town council. “We have not decided yet… there were three formats that were given to the councillors to get residents involved to see how they felt about it…,” she said, explaining that they have agreed on using a temporary one while other adjustments and additions are to be made.
Describing the temporary symbol, she said, “The most important part is the crown which represents our independence and our decentralization from central government. On top of the crown there are five stars to represent excellence, the three rivers to represent the Mazaruni, Cyunni and Essequibo – our geographic location.”
She added that the symbol will also have the words – improving lives and building communities, a building to represent infrastructure, a symbol representing healthcare, a football and a fork and spade. “They are all little symbols but they have a very deep meaning and it will include the greening and cleaning of Bartica. One addition that will be made is to place a tree on it as part of our green initiative to show how we feel about our environment,” she added.
In relation to the preparations for the town day, she stated that they are about 80% completed with the beautification and decorating aspect.
Of the18 seats on the Bartica Town Council, A Partnership for Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) took 14, with the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) taking three and the independent party, Bartica Independent Green Alliance (BIGA) taking one seat.
