Dear Editor,

Some time back I wrote to you about the New Amsterdam Town Council. The response was unsatisfactory. Why I did not follow it up was because I was not around. Anyhow I am now back just in time to hear a release from the Council on TV claiming that Town Day 2009 was a success, and the money gained was used to purchase street lights. If the street lights story is true, then the place of purchase and the receipt for the purchase must be revealed.

The person who gave the release went on to insult the citizens of this Town by saying the citizens always want to know about the Town Day money. Well the way it was said a primary school student would know it was done in disgust. This very ‘release’ was made by someone who is no longer a Councillor according to the Guyana Constitution Chapter 28:01 that governs municipalities.

It is clear in the law book that as long as a councillor is absent from three consecutive statutory meetings that councillor’s seat becomes vacant. The law book does not mention anything about sick or vacation leave. That woman was away from the council for well over a year so her seat automatically becomes vacant.

The Council of New Amsterdam is made up of fifteen councillors including the Mayor & Deputy. The law says when a seat is vacant then a replacement must be made by extracting a name from the Official List of twenty five names that was submitted to GECOM at the last election (Local Government). When that list is exhausted and councillors cannot form a quorum (as in this case) then the Minister of Local Government must be informed.

Yours faithfully,
P Bynoe