Chairman of the Georgetown City Council’s Finance Committee, Oscar Clarke yesterday presented a $2,298,952,544 budget and announced plans to institute a weekly $100 fee for the collection of garbage from city homeowners and to downsize staff.
With revenue projected at $2,452,434,985, a surplus of $153,482,441 is predicted.
During his presentation to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) at City Hall, Clarke noted the impact of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic on the operations of the council, in addition to that of the March 2020 elections, which also impacted planned works.
Clarke said the Public Health Department, the City Engineer’s Department and the Solid Waste Department would be focal points of the council during the year, while noting that the aim is to seek to ensure that they are properly resourced.
Clarke mentioned that the Solid Waste Department will implement a fee of $100 per week for the collection of household waste in hopes of reaching its goals. He said the increase in revenue will aid the department in several ways, such as acquiring new garbage trucks and by maintaining the ones they already have.
He did note that the M&CC is yet to receive its $10 million subvention for the year 2020 and its $30 million subvention for the year 2021 from the Central Government.
He also disclosed that a sum of $5 million usually given to assist with works in each constituency has yet to be received by any.
He noted that no response has been received from Central Government, and the lack of cash has resulted in works being suspended.
Clarke also disclosed that no interest will be charged on rates for the year 2020 and 2021 and added that in the year 2022 compound interest rates will be reduced from 21% to 18%, effective from January 2022.
Downsizing
Clarke also revealed that due to the pandemic a number of departments at City Hall will be downsized.
He explained that with the closure of schools, the council was also forced to close its daycares but had nevertheless kept the staff. However, he noted that a decision was made to let go of the daycare staff as well as a few workers attached to the City Engineer’s Department, who are employed part-time. The latter, he said, are on the payroll but due to the lack of funds to purchase the required materials needed, they cannot complete the jobs they were hired for.
In addition, Clarke stated that the council will also be reducing the amount of security guards employed and filling the gap with members of the city constabulary.
He emphasised that the individuals being let go of will be sent off with all of their benefits.
At the end of the presentation the budget was passed by a majority vote.
Meanwhile, City Treasurer John Douglas, who also spoke, noted that in spite of interference and uncertainty the council was still able to honour its obligation to all its staff and the stakeholders it interacts with daily. Douglas noted that the staff received their “back pay” and the council is presently paying pensioners what is owed to them.
Last year, he mentioned, there was a $2.2 billion budget and the council was able to rake in $1.9 billion of the amount, but expended only $1.7 billion.
This year’s budget, he said, addresses the importance of every section within the municipality of Georgetown as he declared that the council will ensure that every area of service will be such that the people of Georgetown are served.
Douglas also said that the council recognises the crucial time at hand with the COVID-19 virus, making it even more critical for the Solid Waste Department to continue its task of keeping the city clean.
He also said that the council is working to have the construction of the new administration building at least 80% completed by the end of 2021. This, he said, will facilitate the transfer of the administration staff to the new building, where citizens of Georgetown can conduct business in a more stable and suitable environment.
Douglas added that additional works will also be addressed, such as on the Solid Waste Department building and rehabilitation of the Dorothy Bailey Health Centre.
