The state has undermined the Mayor and City Council

BY Staff
Published: December 4, 2008 in Letters

Dear Editor,

The old local saying, “Mout open, story jump out” came to mind on reading a letter in the Guyana Chronicle headlined ‘“Human derelicts” not to blame for the state of the City’ (November 30) written by Mr Thomas Reid. Was this a typical manufactured bit to assail the mayor and councillors?

First, the Mayor some time ago sought the cooperation of the relevant state agencies to deal in a humane and professional manner with the growing number of persons who roam the city, and fling things about as they seek for God knows what in garbage receptacles, etc. Anyone can observe their operations day and night around the city.

Let me give an example: A few weeks ago, thanks to an initiative by Mr Maxwell Thom of Wireless Connections, his staff and friends were mobilized, and with paint, scrubbing materials and tools they had the entire block including the parapet on Regent Street, east of Orange Walk scrupulously cleaned and cleared.

Within days, unsavoury characters dumped and transformed the area into ugliness. Within minutes after reading the letter by Mr Thomas Reid, the Mayor received a call from the wife of Rev Canon Oscar Basil complaining of the unsightly conditions in front of the Saint Barnabas Church − the area we had earlier made tidy and wholesome.

We need people to end this constant carping criticism of the mayor and councillors and get on board, if they truly are really concerned and wish to help. Perhaps Mr Reid can begin by picking a street, block or area that he and others can monitor to ensure its tidiness and cleanliness. Let us seek true ownership of the city.

But the essential point is contained in his last paragraph. “Get rid of the Mayor and cohorts so that the government can run the City.” That is the real story.

This is what this ‘return to democracy government’ is really after, even though by fair democratic elections, citizens decided who should be given the mandate to manage the capital. But from then a total disrespect for the will of the people is obvious. Instead we see signs of a Stalin communist style of total control of all aspects of our lives, while shouting this falsehood about ‘democracy.’

They deny the mayor and councillors assistance to widen the revenue base, and deny them the opportunity to discipline and identify good people to manage the city. They refuse to allow the Mayor and City Council to appoint officers to further their economic projects; seize a car park that was making money without notice; stop a monument which would have given some credit internationally to the mayor and councillors. The list is long. These are only recent examples of an attitude.

I can fill pages with examples. Nothing good can be done without money and management. Reform is being delayed because the state apparatus wants to retain total control of the city in order to manipulate, suffocate and dictate.

The trouble is the Mayor refuses to be dictated to, or to surrender.

Bet my five cents, the Chronicle will not publish this reply to Thomas Reid.

Yours faithfully,
John Green
Personal Assistant to the Mayor

Comments

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7 Comments

blahblah says:

December 4, 2008 at 9:31 am

I don’t know what you guys would do,but the city is in a mess.And Hammie claims he and the president are friends…What a friend.

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miltonbruce says:

December 4, 2008 at 9:37 am

Mr Green you actually read the Chronicle?

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r s dasai says:

December 4, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Joke aside, let the Mayor provide a financial plan to manage the city without outside help. collect taxes,raise taxes,pay expenses. easier done than said.
The city must be self suffiecient. If it cannot be, get help. From whom?what?
Any one has answers? Help the Mayor and citizens of GT. Any takers? Not talkers.
regards

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Observerfromadistance says:

December 4, 2008 at 4:16 pm

If you live in Guyana you would be patently aware that the PPP administration ‘runs things’ … including the city government. Mr Jagdeo was trained in marxist economics hence his governing model. So what else can we expect ? He obviously wants total control of all phases of the guyanese economy .. er .. where shall I start .. the Regional Democratic Councils … Mayor and Town Council … Linden City Council … and the list goes on and on with no end in sight … he is quite obsessed with power .. none moreso than .. neer I say .. the Burnham Model ? Jagdeo thinks that what goes around must come around .. so why are we so surprised ?

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VIJAY says:

December 5, 2008 at 11:48 am

The city was known to be the garden city but today due to the unresponsible behaviour, our city its know known as the grbage city.We the citizens of the city needs to act more responsible and stop the blame game for every thing thats not going the way we want things to go .First lets look at the amount of rates and taxes that is been collected against the expenditure of the MCC.Lets be fair here ,no money no services.Pay your taxes as due and improvements will come however small.Its such a shame on us ,when we live in GUYANA we dont want to pay our taxes but coming to AMERICA & elsewhere we are the most law abiding citizens (MODEL CITIZENS )and here at home we are the rogue of the tax system.Come on fellow citizens lets put our shoulders to the wheel and leave bypartisian on the side. GUYANA is ours and it reflects on us GUYANESE for the positive vibes.Lets rise and protect our city and sourroundings.DO you remember in oct 1992 when citizens came together and pitch in to clean and beautify GT to usher in the NEW GOVERNMENT (PPP CIVIC).My greetings goes out to all GUYANESE @ home and abroad ,HAPPY XMAS.

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decanadianCarlVeecock says:

December 5, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Yours faithfully,
John Green
Personal Assistant to the Mayor

It had better be!

John Green…OK…OK…you have to defend the Mayor.
It is your job, but in truth and reality, he is a lame duck.
Bush is a lame duck but Hammie is a lamer one.

When you do not have real power, you have you use intrigue and friendships, and you have to give concessions. You have
to manipulate, encourage, negotiate, you have to be cunning.
You think Hammie has those qualities?
NOT ON YOUR LIFE !

He is still living in the past when he had much much power
and authority. You move when he told you to! Times have
changed and Hammie should demit office pronto and hike it
out of the country to a quieter lifesyle. He is a spent
force and the government has absolutely NO REGARD FOR HIM.

Get real and tell him so , not write letters to the Press
defending the lame duck.

Out! Out! Out!…Begone. The party is over!

A new Mayor is required. Perhaps one of the Party people.
Then you might see some changes.

A la Palin…. ” you betcha “

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Caesar Agustus says:

December 7, 2008 at 10:51 pm

Anyone who has a brain in his head will not believe a word of this crap.

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