The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has again warned of what it said appears to be a “nefarious scheme” by some members of the Georgetown City Council to undervalue and rapidly dispose of city properties.
In a statement yesterday, the ministry said that it and other “relevant governance bodies continue to monitor very closely, actions by some members of the Georgetown City Council”.
The ministry said that the properties are of significance in the “historical and other structural aspects of the city’s landscape, some of which form part and parcel of its recorded cultural heritage inventory”.
It added that despite previous expressions of concern from the Government over these attempts, new reports indicate that the City Council is continuing these clandestine pursuits unabated.
The ministry had issued its first warning on October 12 and when Stabroek News sought a comment from the city, Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore slammed the Ministry on the accusation and said that it was “scurrilous and defamatory.” He told Stabroek News then that the statement was pointing fingers at the council and the ministry should produce evidence to support its allegations.
Mentore, who is head of the Council’s committee on Investment and Development asserted that every action of the committee is above board. He stated that while they have reviewed leases and made recommendations to the Council, they have never engaged in any real estate sales.
Mentore had said that he was surprised at the statement being made in the media as neither the Ministry nor Minister Nigel Dharamlall had contacted them for any clarification on “whatever the issue is.”
In its statement yesterday, the ministry said it wished to reiterate its position with “clear unambiguous warnings to the City Council, that it will not condone nor stand idly by while they continue to pursue actions for negotiated disposal of the city’s assets in a manner that contravenes the high standards of accountability, transparency and adherence to the rule of law that have been established within the national governance frameworks for Guyana.
“Consequentially, these reports are being taken with the utmost levels of seriousness, with the relevant authorities being placed on high alert to prevent these actions from being carried out.
“Members of the City Council must understand that Georgetown and its assets, though within the management ambit of the council, do not constitute personal property in part or whole and therefore cannot be sold off based on personal interests nor based on the whims and fancies of its members, and that these plans must cease forthwith.
“The City Council would be well advised to take careful note of the resolve of the Government on this crucial matter and avoid the swift and decisive consequences that would be accorded to all parties to any of these nefarious and dubious deals being contemplated, should they choose to follow through on them, despite the many warnings”.
