City Council Round Up
City councillors will have to make do with the $20,000 per month stipend which some of them are contending is not enough.
Action at last
Revaluation now
Let's celebrate
With Cecil Griffith
Stabroek News
August 20, 2001
At their last statutory meeting the councillors present voted by an 8-7 majority not to accept a revised motion seeking a $5,000 increase per month.
The first motion standing in the name of Good and Green Guyana (GGG) councillor Gwen McGowan and seconded by GGG councillor Harold Kissoon sought a monthly increase of $10,000 for each councillor. But it was never put up for debate after an amendment reducing the proposed figure to $25,000.
Both Mayor Hamilton Green and his deputy councillor Robert Williams spoke against any increase, with the `chief citizen' telling councillors that the request was untimely. "As councillors we should be concerned about the public perception about us... the public will look at such a request with hostility..." as he reminded them of the many complaints from citizens, such as mosquitoes, clogged and dirty drains, bad roads and some darkened streets.
"I would strongly suggest that it would be inappropriate to advance this motion.... we must be concerned about our image..." the Mayor declared.
The Deputy Mayor who is also chairman of the council's finance committee, informed the meeting that a review of the council's budget which had just been completed shows a reduction in revenue of $300M for the rest of this year.
He drew the attention of councillors to current talks with the two unions representing workers in the municipality for increases in wages and salaries.
The leader of the People's Progressive Party/Civic group on the council, Fitzgerald Agard said while councillors could justify a reasonable increase in their stipends the motion is untimely.
When the motion was put to the vote Mayor Green and Deputy Mayor Williams took different approaches.
A resounding 'no' came from the 'chief citizen', while his deputy and also a senior member of the GGG abstained.
Another interesting feature was the sudden departure of councillors from the People's National Congress/R and the GGG before the vote was taken. To those councillors who remained and voted one way or the other, I say to you, it was a display of honesty and integrity. You stood your ground.
At long last the city council's administration is paying careful attention to the Brazilian enclave in and around Light and Robb streets, and another meeting point for our Brazilian neighbours at Albert Street and South Road.
Last week the Meat and Food inspectorate recommended that swift action be taken against those who are responsible for setting up barbecue pits and unauthorised and insanitary eating facilities in and around two hotels, which have been identified.
The matter was raised at last Monday's statutory meeting by PNC/R councillor Desmond Moses and PNC/R councillor Zaman Ali, who reported that residents in Light Street between Robb Street and North Road were uncomfortable with the goings on outside a certain hotel on Light Street.
The head of the Meat and Food inspectorate has advised that the food facilities on Light and Robb streets frequented by the Brazilians be given ten days to show why these food outlets should not be closed down. This suggested action is covered under Section 76 of the Municipal and District Councils act.
The latest is that a lawyer representing the proprietrix of the hotel on South Road and Albert Street has sent a letter to Town Clerk Beulah Williams about the council's intended action to close parts of the business. This column has been informed that the hotel proprietor on Light Street is now engaged in a refurbishing exercise at his premises.
The council has approved two important motions which would be of interest to property owners especially.
The first calls for the institution of legal proceedings to compel the Chief Valuation Officer to carry out his duty as mandated by the Municipal and District Councils Act, that is to produce a valuation list immediately.
It was pointed out that "more than five years have elapsed since the last valuation list and... that the Chief Valuation Officer is in breach of his statutory duty".
The other motion reminds the Minister responsible for Local Government "to begin serving notices to treat with owners of properties which are not in use..." so as to enable the city council to acquire land which can be used, among other purposes for vending.
Both motions are in the name of GGG councillor attorney-at-law CML John, who is chairman of the council's City Works committee and also the Legal Affairs committee.
The celebration to mark the 158th anniversary of Georgetown as a city was off to a subdued start yesterday morning with a not-so-well attended church service at Saint George's cathedral. Among the invitees present were chancellor Desiree Bernard and Minister Manzoor Nadir. Representatives of several privately owned security firms were also in attendance.
The organisers of the anniversary celebrations breathed a sigh of relief yesterday morning, when Mayor Green arrived for the church service which was also attended by some members of the diplomatic corps and city businessmen. The Mayor holds the view that this is not the true anniversary date for the city, insisting that this is the time to focus on the emancipation of black people. The 'chief citizen' to enforce his point was dressed in African wear. In his sermon which paid attention to service while at the same time making a connection between the role of the cathedral and what he called the Mayor's parlour, Anglican Dean Oswald Trellis who is a Guyanese, noted that we should all strive to "get the ordinary things right..." A notable feature yesterday was the absence of many heads of department or those acting in their posts, at Saint George's.