The Ministry of Works on Tuesday broke up and removed billboards by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph company which were posted on the council’s reserves in select areas of the city.
And at a time when the Mayor and City Council is desperately seeking to garner monies to pay off its debts, it expressed “grave concern” over “what appears to be the illegal actions…by representatives of the Ministry of Works.”
The GT&T billboards which ministry representatives dismantled and removed were posted on the council’s reserves at Croal Street, Aubrey Baker Road, Church and Main Street junction, Church and Camp streets junction and Merriman Mall.
“The council approved the placement of the signs on its reserves for a short period. However, they were removed by representatives of the Ministry of Works, without our knowledge,” the M&CC said in a release.
“Council is bringing this to the attention of the public to raise awareness of the challenges it faces in its efforts to provide service to its citizens,” the release added.
Further, the release said that the signs generated much needed revenue for the council and called the action by the ministry an attempt “to usurp the authority of the council to exercise control over its parapets and other thoroughfares.”
Under the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01, the council has the authority and the right to give permission, to anyone, to erect signs on its reserves. At section 301 of that law, the council also has the power to give permission to any person or business to erect signs on its parapets, the release pointed out.
