–Sherod Duncan says City Hall challenges have not broken his spirit

By Tamica Garnett

DESPITE the quarrels with Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and Town Clerk Royston King, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan has said there has been no challenge that breaks his spirit to the extent of regretting his decision to be a part of City Hall.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Duncan said though the situation ‘is even worse than [he] thought”, and now more than ever, he believes his presence at City Hall is needed.

“I have no regrets (about) being part of the City Hall. It is a challenge that I have accepted — to do all I can to make a positive difference for our national capital city, Georgetown. I cannot say I was surprised by the challenges I have encountered,” Duncan declared.

He reminded that City Hall has always been a place of controversy, trials and setbacks over the years, and it is against this backdrop that he never expected his time at City Hall to be an easy one.

“It has always been a challenging environment. Over the years…, it (has been) a very challenging place, exacerbated [by] the challenging times in which we live. The era of Mayor Campton Young had its peculiar set of challenges; then there was the Interim Management Committee period; and the advent of Mayor Hamilton Green saw tremendous hurdles… In 2011, then Councillor Patricia Chase-Green moved a no-confidence motion against him, and this was a gentleman who had brought her into City Government. And let’s not forget the Carol Sooba epoch and the tremendous setbacks under the previous Central Government. So I am not surprised by the current challenges,” Duncan explained.

Duncan believes that if one were to weigh the challenges that occurred previously, it would be found that things are much better now.

HEALTHY FOR DEMOCRACY

He said controversy is “healthy for any democracy”. “Thinking back to a few short months ago, when councillors and the Town Clerk were pulling mics and chairs from each other, and offices were barred and padlocked unceremoniously, those days, thank God, are behind us,” he said.

Following election to office in April, things first began to look awry within the newly-minted administration at City Hall with revelations in early June that Duncan and others had different views from Chase-Green and King over a contract that sought to establish parking meters around Georgetown.

Duncan suggested the contract was shrouded in secrecy, and questioned the integrity of the company awarded the contract, Smart City Solutions Inc (SCS).

Chase-Green hit back by daring anyone questioning the transparency of the contract to take it to the legal authorities.

Councillors were split in their support of either Duncan or Chase-Green, the latter of whom had the backing of Town Clerk Royston King.

Government later intervened, and the Mayor agreed to halt the project to accommodate a review of the state of things and take certain recommendations into consideration.

COMPANY IMPLODING
“I’m not happy with the parking meter fiasco. Daily, before our eyes, the private company, Smart City Solutions, seems to be imploding,” Duncan commented.

Amidst the parking meter debacle came grievances in sections of the media by Duncan as it pertains to the accommodations and amenities afforded his office.

Notwithstanding all this back-and-forth controversy playing out in the media, Duncan said, he gets along with the Council and Mayor on more issues than he disagrees with her.

“The public gets to see the few things we disagree on, and not the 98 per cent of the other things we do agree on in moving Georgetown forward. The challenges have given me greater resolve to stand firm for what I believe…,” Duncan said.

According to the 37-year-old, his relationship with the Mayor “works well professionally”, and “the success of that relationship doesn’t mean we have to always agree. The success will be measured in the fact that Georgetown must win in the end,” he said.

Regardless of the existing challenges, Duncan said, it has not really changed what he seeks to achieve as Deputy Mayor. “The current challenges have not affected the things I hope to accomplish per se. I have seen a new tone at City Hall. I have (acquired) a deeper understanding of how to manage a capital city. I continue to engage individuals and the private sector, even Central Government. The engagements have been meaningful — whether in getting our roads repaired, whether introducing programmes to reduce crime and violence, or whether it’s fundraising for our young people to ensure that they have the resources they need for the future they want.”

Now, as he looks to the future of the municipality, an enthusiastic Duncan sees opportunities for continued change and growth of the local government body. “We are six months into a three-year tenure. I see hopeful signs of change; young shoots of change that need water and lots of sunlight. I remain hopeful and very optimistic that if we stick to challenging ourselves on the issues, and not personalities, our work will endear us to the people and Georgetown with be a great city once more.”