SINCE the commencement of the selling of vending spots for Mashramani some two weeks ago, things were running smoothly, until just recently because the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors have been diverting interested persons towards the Mayor’s Office to carry out legal transactions. This was according to Acting Town Clerk, Carol Ryan-Sooba yesterday during a press conference at City Hall.

Sooba disclosed that “Mash 2015 like others is no different, but recently there have been some obstacles at the City Council which have been corrupting a revenue earning venture, which is the selling of vending spots for Mash Day.”
She added that recently under the normal procedure, which involves interested persons obtaining invoices from her office and then making payments to the treasury department, after which they receive a receipt approving their purchase, the spots were being sold at a rapid pace and in an organised manner.
This procedure was going smoothly until one of the Deputy Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green’s Clerks, Audrey Redwar started directing persons to the Mayor’s Office to carry out the necessary transactions.
The town clerk (ag) further stated that she was able to acquire a copy of one of the receipts which included a stamp from the Mayor and the approval signature of Redwar, that were being issued to persons who purchased a spot from the Mayor.
This act by the Mayor and Councillors is illegal and will, therefore, be investigated by the police since the Chief Constable claimed that he does not know how to deal with a matter of this calibre.

PROBLEMS ON MASH DAY
According to Sooba, so far there have been over 111 illegally issued spots, some of which were even given out for free to interested persons. This situation could prove to be a problem come Mash Day.
“There will be police officers along with the city constabulary monitoring the area from the eve of Mash, so as to ensure that persons with illegal receipts do not cause confusion and chaos; and if they are interested in purchasing the spot they could do so on Mash Day once it is not taken already by someone who legally purchased it,” she said.
Meanwhile, apart from that the public is also advised that vending will be prohibited along JC Latchmansingh Street, Irving Street and Church Street on February 23, to facilitate the Mashramani floats and reduce space constraints along these routes. Spectators will also be prohibited from lingering along Irving Street, due to the reduced space.
Portable toilets will also be placed around these areas for the public, while a team headed by the acting Town Clerk, the City Treasurer, Deputy Town Clerk and the Assistant Town Clerk will be responsible for manning these activities.
Failure to adhere to these guidelines which were employed to ensure a safe Mashramani 2015 will result in intervention by the Guyana Police Force, which will be working alongside the City Constabulary.