— Information not forthcoming from City Treasurer
–Local Government Minister hoping for surprise
A LACK of information from the Treasurer’s Department is preventing Councillor Junior Garrett, Finance Committee Chairman of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), from presenting the municipal budget by today (January 31), as had been promised. Speaking with this newspaper yesterday, Public Relations Officer of the M&CC, Royston King, said Garrett is in the process of preparing the budget, and up until yesterday morning, was still awaiting information from the City Treasurer.
Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe had told a recent press conference that the municipality did not necessarily have to present its budgetary proposals to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. However, at a subsequent news conference, Garrett pointed out that the budget is supposed to be presented to the ministry by November 15 of the preceding year.
“This Council has prepared such a budget; but, from my financial experience, that was not properly done,” he said, when undertaking to have it presented according to “accepted accounting principles and practices.”
Underscoring the importance of information being made available by the Treasury Department when requested, Garrett said: “Over the years, I had refused to get involved in the preparation of the budget because there were always distortions in the financial information that was used as source. I intend to have a hands-on position where preparation of the budget is concerned; and, apart from this, there will be other financial documents which are used in business entities to manage the monthly funds of the council,” he disclosed.
At present, Garrett said, about 60 percent of the funds received at City Hall goes towards administrative expenses, and the remainder to core services in the city. However, Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck, the officer in charge of the Administration Department, along with others, has been accused of rampant corruption and mismanagement of funds.
At a recent statutory meeting, councillors called for Pluck and City Treasurer Andrew Meredith to be sent home, or be suspended for approving the payment of a Christmas incentive to certain workers only. The Local Government Ministry has since asked Pluck to provide written responses on the matter.
Meanwhile, the country’s other five municipalities have submitted their proposals to the ministry on time, and Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud recently told the media that he is hoping for a surprise from the M&CC this year.
Minister within the Local Government Ministry, Norman Whittaker, said Chairman of the Implementation Committee that was established to investigate the operations of City Hall, Mr. Keith Burrowes, has again been asked to assist the Council with its financial affairs.