Dear Editor,
This letter, prompted by the publication in Stabroek News of two articles within one week relates to the non-payment by the Linden municipality for street lighting on the west bank of Linden. The first article related to the possible loss of subvention (Nov 19, p11) while the second one dealt with the preparation of budget estimates for 2013 (Nov, 25 p23).
Payment for street lights in Linden Town, both the east bank (Mackenzie) and the west bank (Wismar, Christianburg) is the responsibility of the Linden municipality. However, there is a peculiar situation whereby the Linden Town Council makes payments for street lights on the east bank to the Linden Electric Company Incorporated (LECI), a subsidiary of NICIL, but not to the Linden Utility Services Cooperative Society Limited (LUSCSL) on the west bank. In fact, non-payment for street lights for over ten years has literally forced LUSCSL to seek judgment by way of arbitration as required under The Cooperative Act. LUSCSL is claiming in excess of sixty million as outstanding revenue for street lights on the west bank.
Therefore, rather than allowing any subvention to be returned to the Consolidated Fund, the Linden municipality with permission from the relevant authority can reallocate the unspent subvention to service the street light debt.
Further, the Ministry of Local Government team in conjunction with the town clerk, treasurer and senior clerk of the Linden municipality should include payment for street lights on the west bank in the 2013 budget estimates in the same manner as is being done for the east bank.
Yours faithfully,
Alfred Julien
