Dear Editor,
The Georgetown City Council is compelled to address recent developments regarding the allocation of a meagre subvention of GYD 30 million from the central government’s budget. This funding has been allocated to the purchase of a garbage truck and a dump truck, with Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag and PPP/C Councillor, Steven Jacobs prominently championing this as a significant achievement, in certain sections of the media.
We, at the Council, view this allocation as a mere bagatelle and an insult to the residents of Georgetown and, by extension, to the integrity of our local and national governance. It is public knowledge that the City of Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, has long required substantial investment in its infrastructure to address the growing demands of urban management and vital services. The allocation of GYD 30 million, earmarked for just two vehicles, fails to meet the scale of our needs and is a clear reflection of misplaced priorities. The solid waste management systems require hundreds of millions of dollars, in equipment, trucks, vehicles and appropriate waste management infrastructure.
One would have thought that the song and dance displayed by the minister and the councillor was indicative that the government had committed to purchasing more than 50 trucks and allied vehicles to assist not only the City Council but also other towns, NDCs and villages in the local government system.
The recent photo opportunities and public statements by Minister Parag, and Councillor Jacobs, in certain sections of the media, which present this allocation as a major success, are not only misleading but also an attempt to score cheap political points. The fact of the matter is the funds were allocated in the 2024 budget by Central Government for the Council to use based on its needs analysis. We originally made a decision to use it on our Administration building to better prepare for our taxpayers and housing of our staff to better serve our taxpayers . That was bluntly refused by the Junior minister of Local Government Anand Persaud in a letter to the Town Clerk directing the Council to review that position and allocation. I wasn’t in agreement but other Councillors were willing to proceed to treat with it in good faith. Again, these actions by Ministers to countenance local democracy is an affront to the autonomy of the Council, further it speaks to interference, micro management of the business of Council and is an autocratic stance – a growing tendency of the PPP government to control every facet of our lives.
Again, the actions undermine the genuine efforts required to advance the interests of Georgetown and its residents. It is evident that these public stunts do not address the comprehensive needs of our city and instead serve to distract from the pressing issues at hand.
Georgetown deserves more than tokenistic measures and political grandstanding especially when this country earns in excess of US 7.6 Million per day from oil and over G$583 Billion per year from its oil resources. Hence, the token and paltry subvention sum is an insult to the Mayor and City Council and the Central Government should be ashamed of dancing and wining to this naked truth. Please be reminded that the City Council is committed to ensuring that our city receives the resources and attention it rightly deserves. As a Council we will continue to advocate for a more substantial and meaningful investment in Georgetown’s infrastructure and services, reflecting the true needs and aspirations of our community.
We urge Central Government ministers, officials and all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue to address these concerns and to work collaboratively towards a more equitable and effective solution for Georgetown and stop playing foolish games to no end!
As Mayor, my and the Council’s commitment remains to ensure that every resident of Georgetown benefits from the progress and development that our city is poised to achieve – only if we put partisan political agendas aside .
Yours faithfully,
Alfred Mentore J.P.
Mayor of Georgetown
