A proposal by Guyana-born Mayor of Purcellville, Kwame Fraser for a sister city relationship with Linden has been put on hold after dissent emerged in Fraser’s council.
According to loudounnow.com, Fraser’s move to form a partnership with Linden will take a back seat to other town affairs for the time being.
The report said that Fraser on February 11 removed from the Town Council agenda a vote on the Sister City partnership – an initiative he put forward last month after a November visit to the Guyanese embassy in Washington. According to the report, Fraser said he removed the action item because he didn’t want to take up more of the public’s time than necessary, considering the council was faced with a lengthy agenda. He said the item could come back up at a later meeting.
Fraser proposed the Sister City idea Jan. 14, citing a suggestion that he should give back to his native country. He underlined that the partnership would be between two individuals, not two towns—creating a working relationship between him and Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell.
A day earlier, on February 10, Fraser had announced that he will seek a fourth term in the town elections in May.
In announcing his decision, Fraser said he received “encouragement from his family and continuing support from the community.”
“ … I will continue to provide an innovative approach to government, to monetize our assets, and to construct creative ways to reduce the town’s debt without imposing additional financial burden to our citizens. The pressure from the development community is never ending, and we need a strong leader who will keep promises and remain committed once elected. In our precious small town, development affects many aspects of our lives: our transportation, our staffing, our water resources, our schools, and our overall quality of life,” Fraser said in a prepared statement, according to the Loudoun Times-Mirror newspaper.
According to the Loudoun Times-Mirror, at the January 14th Town Council meeting, Fraser read a proclamation that would establish a Sister City International Partnership with Linden so the two respective mayors can collaborate in areas such as infrastructure and comprehensive planning, education, athletics, community-based technical training, trade, ecotourism, arts, agriculture and music.
On the cusp
“I’m not asking for permission, I’m asking for support… Myself and my five siblings came to the US in 1982. We have done good in this great country. Guyana is one of the poorest nations in the world, but it is on the cusp of becoming Norway or Venezuela, depending on leadership or guidance … it is the fastest-growing economy in the world,” Fraser was quoted as telling the Town Council after reading his proposal.
He added that the partnership would build a relationship between the two mayors and would be a chance for him to provide “guidance and support to Linden,” with no impact on the town’s budget.
However, the proposal was immediately met by criticism from several council members, who were concerned that the relationship would not benefit Purcellville as much as it would benefit Linden and that taxpayers funds would be used to maintain the relationship.
“I have a little bit of an issue here when you’re telling us you’re not asking for permission… It’s not a giveback for Guyana, it’s what’s best for the two cities,” Councilman Ted Greenly said. “I do feel like it’s a little rushed and I’m not seeing the value for us.” He added that while he liked the idea of the proposal, he did not think that it was the time to consider implementing the initiative because Purcellville should focus on its existing problems, like looming decisions regarding water and sewage rates.
Another council member, Joel Grewe, also expressed his reluctance to support the partnership, saying that Linden is an industrial town while Purcellville is not. “I’m not seeing the value for Purcellville here,” he said. “I don’t see the mutual benefit.”
However, not all the councillors agreed with Greenly and Grewe. Ryan Cool supported the initiative, saying that there are a lot more benefits than costs before thanking Fraser for bringing Guyana to them. Vice-Mayor Tip Stinnette and Councilman Nedim Ogelman both stated that they wanted to hear more about the proposal before making their decision.
Meanwhile, some members of the public reportedly questioned whether the mayor wanted to strike the partnership simply to travel back to his native country at taxpayers’ expense.
Regardless, when the proposal was further discussed on January 28th, Fraser explained that he was interested in serving as a mentor between the towns to help build business, civic, faith-based, educational and cultural opportunities. He noted that during his tenure as Mayor he has amassed “a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of comprehensive planning, community engagement, economic development and utility infrastructure management.” As a result, he said he could freely share that knowledge and experience with another mayor in the global arena without creating any financial or operational burden on the town’s management.
Stinnette then suggested that changes be made to the proposal so it would be clear to the town council that the relationship would not involve any public tax dollars. He added that he thought that if the relationship was going to be effective that the support of all councilors would be vital. Further, he stated that if Purcellville enters into the relationship, it would need to “endure administrations” and “not [be] a short-term gig.”
According to the report, Fraser said the concept began last July when he, along with former State Senator Dick Black (R) and David Eno, a Purcellville resident, visited the Guyana embassy, where they discussed ways Fraser could “give back” to his native country.
As a result, Fraser visited Guyana last November and held meetings with Mayor of Linden Waneka Arrindell. During his visit to the country, Fraser also paid a visit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Karen Cummings to discuss future collaborations between Guyana and Purcellville.
