Comments on: City workers awarded $38M retroactive pay hike

By: freespeech

freespeech — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:36:52 +0000

excuses for every thing, same mentality since the previous administration. ‘ten men filling one pot hole in a whole day’.
i have watch this in the 70’s, men getting paid to stand over a pot hole all day doing nothing.
“WHEN YOU HAVE A CARD IN THOSE DAYS YOU ARE KING”

By: blkrattler

blkrattler — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:32:51 +0000

At last….somebody with a little knowledge…..most of these posters don’t have a clue about the workings of the City Council in Gtown…they assume it’s just like in Canada or USA….The GT Mayor is a figurehead….as you correctly point out….the Town Clerk runs the show….and the Mayor can’t fire the Clerk or anybody in the Council’s employ….he can’t force the Clerk to do anything either….only the Minister of Local Govt can….and therein lies the root of the problem…..so changing Green….will not solve the problem….as also corectly stated by some….the Govt via the Local Govt Minister has blocked efforts by the Council to raise revenue….bottom line…the Govt has blocked all efforts for political reasons…..also the present Town clerk and city treasurer are on leave….because of irregularities discovered…..

By: freespeech

freespeech — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:32:12 +0000

no money, garbage piling up because of lack of funds, what game is he playing.
‘popularity contest nothing more’

By: C-GOYR

C-GOYR — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:38:01 +0000

Now if only those ATC guys can get theirs. I can imagine how P/O they must be right now.

By: Ankoko

Ankoko — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:54:24 +0000

I am no fan of the Mayor neither am I trying to defend him, but the day to day administration, budgeting, staffing and such related matters are supposed to be done by the Town Clerk (who is the CEO) The Mayor and Councillors are the policymakers. Bottom line is that the current Central Gov’t plays politricks with the funds for the City Council and a few other local gov’t institutions.
Until and unless the ‘politrickation’ stops, it will remain what it is!!!!

By: A. Persaud

A. Persaud — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:31:14 +0000

Tiger my questions remains the same. What about the Council budget? What measure can the council put in place to penalize non paying city residents and customers? The government cannot be the only scapegoat for the M&CC failures under Green. I get the impression Green wants to run the City like a cake shop. And even that I think Green will fail at.

By: Concerned

Concerned — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:12:21 +0000

This is Hammie’s lame-brain idea to buy himself popularity to deflect that he is a lame-duck Mayor. It’s a feather in the cap of the Union also, because to the workers, it appears that the Union bargained for and got a retroactive increase in salary.
Money in your pocket and bank account will always guarantee a false sense of security to back the “Hand that gave it”. Hammie Green and the Union leaders will demand their pound of flesh from the workers that “sold their soul” when the dust settles around Hammie’s feet.
A younger, educated Mayor is needed for the Capitol City of Guyana. A fresh mind for a fresher Georgetown.

By: evileyes

evileyes — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:07:12 +0000

quib by the time uncle sam done with them all living breating american will have owed thirty thousand dollaz and its climbing.chinese econonmy in a mess now so no more dough for america they chinese say….i might be on that flight with them soon coz business bad here to ehehehehehehehe…….

By: Mackydog

Mackydog — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:15:54 +0000

BLUFF BLUFF BLUFF. Who Hammie think he bluffing? Whe de City Hall getting money to pay these people? Hammie trying anything to get people on his side since he is in for a overhaul and ouster. Come on Hammie, this old PNC trick and bluff ain’t gon wok today. Be gone soon and don’t ever resurface.

By: quibian

quibian — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:44:57 +0000

jones, AMERICA IS BROKE! THEY HAVE A DEFICIT OF 2.6 TRILLION DOLLARS. AND OBAMA IS GOING TO SPEND ANOTHER TRILLION DOLLARS ON SOCIAL PROGRAMS! THEY DON’T HAVE THE MONEY THEY HAVE TO BORROW IT. IMAGINE THEY PAYED OVER FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY BILLION DOLLARS ON INTEREST ON MONEY BORROWED IN 2008! IF YOU DOUBT ME WATCH THIS PROGRAM: I.O.U.S.A. ON CNN. all you “americans” better start packing your bags and RETURN TO GUYANA OR START LEARNING CHINESE.

By: jones

jones — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:17:40 +0000

goverment need to do like america raise pay, and also raise every things, taxes.

By: jerome vonetta

jerome vonetta — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:32:28 +0000

now that things are going his way ‘i hope that the ditches will be clean .and more garbage bins will be inplace to have an ease of the littering .for this is really a horrible sight .

By: Fulano de Tal

Fulano de Tal — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:10:26 +0000

If the government in efforts to oust HG so they could control Region 4 is starving him of the resources he needs where will he pay these people from, his own pocket???

By: A. Persaud

A. Persaud — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:16:46 +0000

John I am not sure how I can reply directly under your comments. However this is response to your comments: Is the Mayor and City Council(M&CC) working with a budget? And if so is it a feasible budget? Is the rates and taxes currently charged adequate to cover the city council expenses? The database at city council needs to be revised and be updated. The M&CC needs to implement systems that can generate adequate revenue to meets its expenditure needs. It can be done with competent staff and the relevant training.
Only if as Guyanese they can set aside politics and work in the interest of the people, can the country be better. Sadly Green has failed miserably again.

By: quibian

quibian — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:40:02 +0000

john brown, hammie and his council is in charge of the revenues and expenditure of the the city. don’t blame the govt. for the city’s mismanagement and incompetence. pot is calling kettle black. the govt. paid its rates as stated in this article maybe a little late but the fact is they paid. imagine paying road workers a whole year for doing nothing. couldn’t these “road workers” be used to clean all the clogged up, stinking drains in the city?

By: JangO

JangO — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:55:24 +0000

Look at them pearly whites old boy skinnin; just can’t tell if they are the real ting anymore or if he had them custom fitted…Many aspects of the capital looks old and out dated, not saying that Mr. Mayor might be too but the city can definitely use a little bit of updating. Georgetown has great potential for trade/commerce and tourism. A new Mayor with fresh/modern ideas to transform the city is past due.

By: tiger

tiger — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:47:00 +0000

although i do agree that it’s time for greene to call it quits and should direct his energies to his pharmacy and still make a meaningful contribution to guyanese,as i’ve said in my previous blogg on this issue, even if the mayorship is a member of the pnc, he too will encounter problems from the govt which financed the council, untill the govt has full control of the city, only then will guyanese see developments taken place.

By: tiger

tiger — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:32:12 +0000

a.persaud, i believe its time for greene to go but the govt diliberately starved the council of much need funds because its run by the pnc, its all political.

By: Darkchild

Darkchild — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:53:36 +0000

GOSH! WE NEED NEW PEOPLE IN THERE…WHERE IS ALL THE YOUNG EDUCATED PEOPLE OF GUYANA..THIS IS YOUR TIME OT MAKE A CHANGE AND GET THESE OLD GUYS OUT OF THERE….(OLD AS IN THE TIME THEY SPEND THERE)..DON’T THESE GUYS KNOW HOW TO RETIRE? GET THEM OUTTA THERE PLEASE..I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING THE SAME OLD POLITICIANS SINCE I BORN..THEY NEED TO GO

By: BIG D,

BIG D, — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:48:24 +0000

Mayor of the City of Georgetown,paid for doing nothing for over ten years.

By: Aptie Sookoo

Aptie Sookoo — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:42:58 +0000

Kudos! to the executives of the Guyana Labour Union and their members of the city of Georgetown for being awarded a retroactive payment to the tune of $38.5 million by an arbitration panel. However, I am wondering from where the city will source the money to honour this pay out since it is at the point of bankruptcy. Having living wages is an ideal situation but they must be sustainable in both short and long term, if not this can lead inevitably to industrial action- job loss and unemployment. Good luck fellow Guyanese…

By: john brown

john brown — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:30:00 +0000

A Persaud i agree that Hammie has mismanaged the city council, but you also have to be cognisant of the fact, that the Government is also starving the council of revenues. Just because the Government can’t get it way with the council its not paying its rates for the various ministries. This is not about just removing Hammie but you have to convince the voters to remove him. The government is mismanaging just like Hammie but still you cant convince some people to vote against them.

By: GT Boy

GT Boy — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:38:07 +0000

Phili u r right

By: ERWIN

ERWIN — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:07:12 +0000

Now that they want him out of office, he’s now coming up with good ideas? Where was this rationale all the time?