By Ravin Singh

KNOWN to be a constituency that is relatively quiet and not prone to many social ills, Subryanville and sections of Kitty are really still far from fitting this description.And with the highly anticipated Local Government Elections quickly approaching, running candidates have laid out their plans for the constituency, should they be elected to serve as councillors.

Perhaps one of the more pressing issues in the area is that of flooding, as was expressed by several residents. And according to Team Benschop’s candidate, Jameel Rasul, the drainage situation has been an “eyesore” not only for that constituency, but for the entire Georgetown. As such, his plan, and that of his group, is to tackle this issue immediately, since it adversely affects the lives of residents of all walks of life.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Albert Cromwell, an independent candidate, who noted that his plan was to bring back Kitty and Subryanville to the place it had been 30 years ago.

“For the past twenty-something years, the place has deteriorated, and I would like to see proper infrastructure in place to deal with this issue,” he told the residents.

In that area, too, City Hall has been sourcing $20,000 per annum for every house lot. And while this money is seemingly not being expended in a way that would benefit the constituency, Cromwell suggested that if he is elected, he would ensure proper representation was made for the council to address drainage in the area.

Agreeing with Cromwell that there was a “systemic deterioration” of Subryanville was APNU+AFC’s candidate Carlyle Goring. He was, however, convinced that this was a result of the country being starved of Local Government Elections for over two decades.

As it relates to the rates and taxes paid by residents, Goring, firm in tone, recommended that once the residents pay their taxes and the council does not deliver, they (the council) should be given the “Gideon boot”, which translates to them being kicked out of office. But he went on further to suggest that this $20,000 per lot is inadequate, since it works out to approximately $1600 a month.
However, he did not suggest an increase in this amount.

Reserved in his comment, Rasul refused to make promises to the residents in this regard. He noted that he did not want to make grandstanding statements and fail to deliver. He told the gathering, though, that if he were elected, those complaints would be examined in their entirety and solutions would be forthcoming.

Then it was the issue of zoning code violation, which all four candidates acknowledged as a major problem. The APNU+AFC candidate first suggested that residents sign a petition against this violation, but one resident pointed out that this had already been done, but it bore no fruit.

And having appreciated this fact, Goring hinted at the shortcomings in the judicial system to immediately act on these issues.

LOBBY
Continuing on the said topic though, the coalition’s candidate noted that what could be done in the short term was to lobby for some moderation in the noise level emerging from bars and local shops.

Cromwell weighed in, too, offering that for the past twenty-plus years, “lawlessness went on” and the deviation in adhering to zoning codes has tremendously affected the lives of people in a negative way. He explained that apart from loud music, improper solid waste disposal by those commercial enterprises had directly and indirectly affected residents living in close proximity. And Cromwell was of the view that should he be elected to serve as councillor, he would “stomp that out”, since he is a “no-nonsense man.”

“Commercial areas are supposed to be commercial areas, and residential areas are supposed to be residential areas,” he added.

The Team Benschop candidate also suggested there should be consultation with residents if a business was being opened. “These business people should speak to, and listen to, residents; and address their concerns that way. You cannot just open a business and have it affecting people in a negative way,” he said, adding that it was an issue which needed to be examined at the level of council.

Additionally, all candidates acknowledged the need for a community ground, which they agreed played an integral role in the development of any community through participation in health and social activities.
Meanwhile, Cromwell sought to
highlight that he had already made some “headway” in addressing some concerns of the residents since the change in government last year. Though he did not specifically say what these were, he noted that inputs, through him, were made to current Mayor Hamilton Green and Town Clerk Royston King. “I’m working even before I’m elected” he said.

Goring, running with the support of the coalition Government under his belt, promised the residents to introduce bus stops at strategic points in the community, to benefit senior citizens; install street lights, and undertake regular garbage collection.

And given that he is the coalition’s candidate, Goring sees himself as being in a more advantageous position, since it would be easier for him to network with the relevant ministers to address concerns.