At a forum that was intended to harbour creative thinking in its planning for the impending Cricket World Cup Town Clerk, Beulah Williams, yesterday met with higher-ranking officials to talk about issues affecting the administration.
According to a press release issued at the end of the forum, the Council has identified some key commercial districts where drainage programmes are to be intensified. The Stabroek Market has also been identified for immediate rehabilitation works.
The council will also revamp and renovate Municipal buildings and other facilities such as roads and bridges
Because the council does not have the resources to adequately effect the necessary transformation of the general condition of the city, community participation is a primary challenge in the preparations and the Council is encouraging citizens to take responsibility for the aesthetics of their local communities.
In the press release, the Council made public its intentions to appeal to the Medical Officer of Health (ag) to submit programmes to ensure public health values in the hospitality and food industry among other business.
The council is also expected to execute an intense edification programme in schools to raise the consciousness of good health practice.
The administration is also taking into consideration the fusion of the Food Hygiene and Environmental Health Sections, in an effort allow the Council to present a more qualitative health package.
The meeting also engaged the problem of recovering outstanding rates and taxes from people still in arrears.
Legal proceedings will be implemented against these defaulters and their names would be published in an effort to speed up the recovery efforts.
Other issues discussed between the Town Clerk and the other city council officials included the ongoing issue with the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL).
The cash-strapped City Council is insisting that GPL owes it more than the $243M GPL claimed the Council owed.
Some of the GPL debt was inherited from its predecessor , Guyana Electricity Corporation, according to the city council.
GPL, on November 21, 2006 commenced disconnection of several Council-operated entities for non-payment of accumulated electricity costs. Several entities, including City Hall, the Bourda Constabulary, the abattoir and the Council's Day Care Centre, were affected in the move by GPL.
Generation of funds, monitoring and evaluation of municipal projects and the allocation of limited funds to the various departments were also high on the agenda.