Dear Editor,
Kindly permit me space to respond to Mayor Alfred Mentore’s letter in the Stabroek News dated May 31, 2024.
It is a most predictable letter in which the Mayor, as he has done throughout his tenure, has sought to absolve himself of all responsibility.
He writes that the fault is neither his nor the Council he leads but rather the PPP’s. This is an absurd stance, to be sure. Mayor Alfred’s enthusiasm for casting blame and never taking ownership of any issue is largely why our City has progressively worsened under his tenure.
In his short rant, the Mayor failed to consider Section 155 of Chapter 28:01, which states that the City Council shall no later than the fifteenth day of November in every year cause to be submitted to them estimates of the revenues and expenditures for the next financial year. The law is pellucid – the City Council, under the leadership of Mayor Mentore, has failed to “cause to be submitted to them estimates…”
Further, Mayor Mentore also failed to address Section 156, which states that the City Council must submit a detailed report of all monies received, expended, and applied during the preceding financial year by March 31 each year. Additionally, this report must be made available for public inspection, with notice given to the public.
It is now June, and the residents of Georgetown are still to receive an account of how the City’s funds were spent.
Most concerning to me is the Mayor’s stance that councillors have nothing to do with budget preparation. Under Chapter 28:01, the treasurer is responsible for compiling the Council’s estimates. For the avoidance of all doubt, compile is a verb that means to “produce by assembling information collected from other sources.” The act further stipulates that the treasurer shall manage, subject to the instructions of the finance committee and the Council, all funds of the Council. Notably, the Finance Committee (a standing committee) comprises seven members – six representing the PNC and only one representing the PPP.
Editor, the budget is the single most important strategic policy tool any policymaker has. The City Council’s vision for the City should be reflected in the City’s budget. The Mayor’s stance is most alarming, especially given Section 8A (a) of the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Act 2013, which amends the principal legislation, i.e., Chapter 28:01: “The general duties of the City Councillors shall be to – consider the interest of the municipality as a whole and bring to the attention of the council anything which would promote such welfare or interest; (b) develop and evaluate policies and programmes for the municipality.” Mayor Mentore has admitted in his letter that the City’s budget, whenever presented, will not reflect anything of the sort.
Georgetown residents deserve transparency, accountability, and a clear vision for the future, none of which are evident under Mayor Alfred Mentore’s leadership. He has admitted as much.
Sincerely,
Alfonso De Armas
PPP/C Councillor
