Mayor raps councillors over lack of plans for constituencies

Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green has voiced disappointment at the majority of city councillors not submitting any plans for development in their constituencies.

During the local government elections campaign, councillors who were contesting for votes on behalf of constituencies had announced plans for infrastructural works to foster development and community transformation.

Chase-Green, at Monday’s statutory meeting, blasted councillors for not submitting plans for development, while noting that it has been over three months since the council has taken over but only four of the 30 councillors have submitted plans for their communities.

The four councillors are Malcolm Ferreira, from voluntary group Team Legacy, and APNU+AFC councillors Sophia Whyte, of Constituency 11 (East La Penitence-Riverview) Winston Harding, of Constituency 13 (East and West Ruimveldt) and Monica Thomas, of Constituency 8 (Lodge North/Meadowbrook Gardens).

Chase-Green said she and Councillor Oscar Clarke have been working to get street lights installed and they have worked to improve bridges.

During the campaign, Ferreira said that he would work for cleaning up and the maintenance of drainage, after-school classes and the creation of a community centre where elders can go and engage in leisure activities.

Whyte had proposed plans for garbage disposal, drainage and irrigation and to rehabilitate streets as well as to regularise lands where persons were squatting.

Whyte had said as a councillor she would also work for after-school care centres, which would aid children with homework and skills training. She also floated plans to create a recreation centre to house a gym.

According to the Mayor, councillors have been pre-occupied with other activities that do not deserve their time. She stressed that none of the councillors have asked to see the city’s 2016 budget, which is important for them to have knowledge of.

During the statutory meeting, she told Town Clerk Royston King that they need to organise another workshop to have councillors educated about their responsibilities.

President David Granger, during his address to the council on Monday, said, “You’re only going to be here for 30 months and if you don’t perform you’re going to get a bad report and people will not put you back in office if you misuse or abuse that office,” as he urged councillors to work to develop their constituencies.