Dear Editor,
A statement in the media on the financial situation at the Mayor and City Council attributed to Councillor, Mr. Bishram Kuppen attracted the attention of the City’s administration. The statement is wholly inaccurate and appears to have been designed to mislead unsuspecting citizens on the financial affairs of the Georgetown Municipality. Our business, at council, has always been accessible to the general public.
However, in the interest of truth, we wish to state the following:
Financial reports are submitted to Council at its Statutory Meeting, on a monthly basis; these reports form part of the Statutory Agendas.
Council’s Finance Committee examines all of Council’s financial records and approves all revenues and expenditure.
All Councillors have access to financial information through the Council’s Statutory Finance Committee.
According to the law, Municipal and District Council’s Act Chapter 28:01.
“All moneys received by or on behalf of a council shall be delivered to the treasurer who shall deposit them with a bank approved by resolution of the council.
The revenues of a council shall consist of all moneys received by way of loan and shall be credited to the general rate fund of the council.
All expenditure of a council other than that financed by loan shall be discharged from the general fund. Separate accounts shall be kept of receipts carried to and payments made out of the general rate fund for general purposes and for each special purpose.”
Again, “All payments on account of a council shall be made by the treasurer in pursuance of an order signed by two councillors who are members of the Finance Committee and who are authorized by the Finance Committee in that behalf; and all cheques for payment of moneys shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Clerk or such other local government officer as may be authorized by the council on that behalf.”
The separate accounts to which the Councillor refers are subsidiary accounts to the general rate fund accounts of the Mayor and City Council, and the status of those are reported on by the City Treasurer, at Council meetings. One of the accounts is the wages and salaries account.
In order to pay staff, money is usually transferred from the general funds account to that facility. Other accounts are needed for Solid Waste Management and allied works. But these are all funded by the Council’s general account.
Finally, we wish to state that the Council could not have secret bank accounts because it does not have money to service such facilities; they would be a waste of time and a burden to the municipality. The Council places great store upon transparency, accountability and service to all the citizens of Georgetown.
We understand that these statements have been designed for a specific political purpose; to gather moss to impugn the character and distract from the progressive work of Council.
Nevertheless, the question remains how can any bank account be secret if Mr. Bishram Kuppen knows about it? Even so, if he is aware of such secret accounts, at the Mayor and City Council, then it would be good for him to say where these are being held and the account numbers.
The Council remains steadfast to its duty to secure the integrity of all local communities and the national capital.
Yours faithfully,
Royston King
Town Clerk
