Dear Editor,
I could not allow former Minister of Local Government, Mr Whittaker’s recent comments in the press to pass without comment, because they are not wholly substantiated. Mr Whittaker took office in August 2011 and many felt he would bring a fresh perspective to the ministry having a background of working as Regional Chairman in Region 1. Within one month of being in office he signed a by-law for the Kara-Kara toll point in Linden on September 1, 2011. This by-law had been languishing on his predecessor’s desk for years. A number of anomalies were brought to his attention and he dealt with them, and one felt that indeed changes were afoot. I have always been forthright and I accepted that being new to the office he had to consult often.
We arrived at 2012 and things changed. There were four senior vacancies which were affecting the work of the council and we were pushing for these to be filled. These were Town Clerk, Treasurer, Personnel Officer and Environmental Officer. Initially we would interview the applicants in Linden after a selection process using the Admin and Legal Affairs committee, Town Clerk, GLU representative, Regional Admin representative, Personnel Officer and an officer from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (MLGRD). On completion a decision would be taken, ratified at council and sent to the Minister for his confirmation. This changed suddenly and all the interviews initially were scheduled for the MLGRD, to which we objected. In fact a selection was made without the council’s involvement and our advice that the selection was not the correct one was ignored. The Minister went ahead and made the appointment, and after being embarrassed was forced to terminate the services of the selectee.
Then we heard of the impositions on the NDCs including Kwakwani in Region 10, as well as Plaisance and Georgetown, which were the ones which flared. All these local organs are strongholds of the then opposition and would be fearless in speaking out. The other NDCs mostly strongholds of then government kept quiet and did not want to rock the boat. At Anna Regina, I found out that the Mayor was not aware that an IMC would be installed and there was one exception when former Mayor Roy Baijnauth was unceremoniously removed and he made some noise. My buddy, former Deputy Mayor Ghamandi was forced to take the council of Corriverton to court after he had exhausted all avenues to retrieve land which had been usurped. When he did this the Minister (not Whittaker) removed him as Deputy Mayor. I am showing you the culture of the previous administration. By 2012 Mr Whittaker was now roped in and playing to the tune of his powerful cabinet colleagues.
The perennial penury of the purse of the council always took centre stage. All our efforts to increase taxes since 2006 were thwarted for one reason or another, but more importantly, the heavy hand of invidiousness was prevalent. Linden’s 2014 and 2015 estimates were not approved. An increase of taxes of between 10-15% was in 2015’s budget. That means a shortfall in revenue is anticipated once more. Mr Whittaker was aware of this.
Toll booth
In February 2013, Mr Whittaker exhorted us to maximize our revenue bases because the Minister of Labour had announced that the national minimum wage was going to $35,000 per month and we had to pay. He also wanted services to residents to be improved. The 2013 budget was approved with some $25M to be garnered from the Kara Kara toll booth. Council tightened the operation by employing RCs to aid its constabulary force. This move saw a dramatic increase in revenue along with ensuring that the drive-bys were minimized. In July 2013 the Minister informed me that there had been complaints, and that cabinet had instructed that the booth be closed. I told him that it was a recipe for catastrophe and we could not do that. The instructions were repeated in August and September but I left Guyana in the last week of September and the booth was closed a few days later, citing the by-law he had signed but did not gazette. The booth was ordered closed with no consideration for the council’s survival. After representation was made a $9M subsidy was provided for the rest of 2013, but the position was that council had to find the money the best way it could going forward. In fact the 2014 budget was not approved because there was a deficit of $30M, for which we asked that a subsidy or the reopening of the toll be done to erase it. Neither was accepted.
It was amazing how he expected the council to get 30% of its revenue just like that. His soldiers on the ground were giving him bad information as well. They had no clue as to what was going on. He pointed to an outstanding debt of nearly $100M owed by taxpayers, but 80% of that is interest. Every so often we give an amnesty, especially at times when the diaspora is around and that helps big time in raking in funds. These are things being on the ground you experience while in Georgetown these little nuances are missed. He continued with his mantra that one should cut one’s cloth to suit the coat.
Valuation
I am always one ahead of mischief. In 2012 I had engaged a valuer whose fee was $600/property. I argued in a proposal that with the 10,000 properties we will be able to recoup that cost and provide a better level of service. This proposal was rejected as I was informed that only the Chief Valuation Officer could value properties in Guyana. I countered with the fact that the valuer will present his work to the CVO and he will sign on. There was no response again. My persistence led to Bishop Edghill getting into the picture and getting the valuation officers to conduct valuations in Linden. However, frustration again. The officers were travelling daily from Georgetown even though we had arranged accommodation, meals and transportation for them so that the work would finish in a very short time. I was told they must travel from Georgetown. Moreover, the men had some problems because they did work in New Amsterdam and there seemed to be some problems with payments.
Linden suffered as a consequence and only 1200 properties were valued. The bombshell was that they were still valuing in the1976 rental mode in 2013. When I remonstrated in a letter to the Minister, the boss of the unit lectured me on the valuation process, my lack of knowledge on these matters and of course why I had written my subject minister instead of Bishop Edghill, his boss. All I was concerned about was the valuation of the properties in Linden, which had not been done for decades. The rates are extremely low and I have a problem with a new $25M house being rated to pay $2500/year and a 50 year old building valued less than $10M being asked to pay $11,000/year. Such a differential will cause major upheavals in Linden at the claims and objection period.
Needless to say the matter was not addressed and it was left languishing as only $1M would have been garnered from the 1200 properties valued.
Clean up My country
We were the last region to get help in this programme. In earlier meetings I was told that sustainability would be addressed. For Linden it will take an additional $2M monthly to keep the environment the way it should be, free of bush and trees, with weeded parapets, clean drains which are silted especially in the rainy season, and other activities. This does not cater for persons continuing their nasty habits.
The council was not consulted and made a decision for the programme to stop so that proper planning could take place. Mr Whittaker levelled vicious accusations of wickedness against the council and said that we wanted contracts. Less than 30% of the work was done.
We do not know how much was spent. One hundred oil drums with holes were sent to Region 10 of which 65 were handed over to the municipality today. Meantime my fellows in Region 6 received 20 tractors and trailers before elections. I am happy for them even as I know they need more.
These are all instances I have raised to show that although the ministry has claimed it will not put money into the hands of the local organs, I say unreservedly it has done a worse job than my municipality. Mr Whittaker’s lack of belief in the organs is not what we require. It is a level of centralism that he has acquired and would have served no useful purpose. We look forward for better times.
Yours faithfully,
Orrin Gordon
Head, Interim Management
Committee of Linden
