WAR OF WORDS…
claims Green detracting from core issues which will compromise the integrity of Inquiry report
COMMISSIONER of Inquiry into City Hall affairs, Mr. Keith Burrowes, last night angrily lashed out at Mayor Hamilton Green, accusing him of “interference” and a highly suspicious attempt to detract from core issues which will compromise the integrity of the much-anticipated Inquiry report that will be made public on Friday.

Burrowes said the Mayor, during the investigations, was most times clueless and unable to provide him with any kind of constructive information, and he has had to resort to the more comprehensive information being provided by the Deputy Mayor, Mr. Robert Williams.

The Commissioner disclosed that the Inquiry report will show that the M&CC’s lack of implementation of a number of fundamental things has nothing to do with bureaucracy, as claimed by the Mayor at a news conference he hosted yesterday, but just pure incompetence under Green’s poor leadership at City Hall.

He also chastised the Mayor for shying away from taking responsibility and always blaming the government, somebody or something for his incompetence.

“What exactly is he (Green) responsible for? Is it just for the perks that go along with the office of Mayor?” questioned a very emotional Burrowes during an invited comment last night regarding some scathing remarks made earlier in the day by the Mayor.

During the news conference he hosted at City Hall, Mayor Green again referred to the “inordinate” length of time, after the Auditor General’s report, that the Burrowes Commission report has taken to be completed, commenting on a “caveat”, whereby the Commissioner said the report was ready a month ago, yet it has not been made public, although he has been informed that the report will “take us to a higher plateau at City Hall”.

While Green complimented Burrowes for his “sacrifice”, he expressed concern that the report contains “some degree of elasticity.”

Referring to a news conference hosted by Burrowes on Monday last where he (Burrowes) adequately defended his position, the Mayor reiterated once more that “justice delayed is justice denied,” alluding to the two officers still on paid suspension of duties. Green used this as a yardstick to measure the “governance of a country” and the “consistency in dispensing justice.”

He said this issue has been made into a “political football” and that it is clear that the work of the Commissioner and the Commission has been “compromised by a patent political agenda.”

But Burrowes last night challenged the Mayor, or anyone as a matter of fact, to show any shred of evidence that he has conducted his investigations with a political agenda in mind.

“I dare anybody to give evidence…and if they do, I will resign from any other position that I currently hold in the government,” Burrowes declared.

CHRONICLE BASHING
Mr. Green yesterday also openly accused the Chronicle as being “a mouthpiece for the PPP/Civic.” He has taken great umbrage with the Chronicle’s reports on the activities of the Commission of Inquiry on City Hall’s affairs, stating that the Chronicle’s headlines on the fraud at City Hall are offensive and using that as an indicator to accuse this newspaper of an unrelenting campaign to slander the M&CC.

The Mayor said that a letter in which he refuted being inspired by Burrowes was not carried by the Chronicle, alleging that the Chronicle only publishes his letters when international delegations are in the country, because of a pretence by the Government that there is press freedom in Guyana. He considers himself a “victim of assault” by the Chronicle’s editorial policy.

The Mayor alleged that the Chronicle has been engaged in a well-planned campaign to denigrate the Mayor and City Council because of what he termed the “vulgarity” contained in its reports on City Hall matters.

Green also made veiled insinuations that there is a nexus between “leaks” to Chronicle about the Commission’s activities and the fact that the Commissioner of Inquiry is Chairman of the GNNL Board.

However, the Editor of this newspaper, Mr. Mark Ramotar, says that no-one at the Chronicle, including himself, knows of the actual contents of the reports, because there have been no “leaks” as has been suggested, and even alleged by the Mayor.

According to Ramotar, while most people have an idea of some matters that may be contained in the report, from the direction of the mayoral and commissioner’s press briefings, much of the information contained in Chronicle’s coverage has been obtained through various channels, all accessible to whomever seeks to avail themselves of these sources, which the Chronicle has been doing.

Burrowes last night also made it pellucidly clear that while he has overall responsibility at GNNL on policy-related issues, he is in no way involved in the day-to-day running or operations of the media house.

He also alluded to the fact that several other media houses, including the privately-owned Kaieteur News, have been getting a lot of information about the report and wonders if he will also be accused of being in bed with these media houses.

“Mr. Green is deflecting some key issues in his harping on the time being taken to complete the report, even though he knows about the myriad problems at City Hall, because he has constantly complained about inefficiency and incompetence at the M&CC. Yet he is now taking a stance that contradicts his previously expressed concerns, and one wonders at the motive behind his current position.

“If I had finished in one month and satisfied him, it would have severely compromised the level of investigations and recommendations, and I consider that this constant insistence on aborting the investigative processes as seeking to influence the outcome of the report. And I consider this as interference.”

Burrowes also questioned whether the Mayor is going to go on a political offensive if the contents of the report do not go in his favour, or suits his liking. “I wonder if he is attempting to compromise the report,” Burrowes asserted.

The Commissioner, at a news briefing the previous day, had stated: “It appeared as though there is an avid interest in a rushed and patchwork report to dismiss two persons, rather than one that addresses the fundamental problems and challenges at City Hall, and which is impeding the progress of the city of Georgetown. Dismissing two officers without a thorough and objective inquiry is a very simplistic way of attempting to solve the litany of woes at the Georgetown City Council. In fact, to follow that path would make matters worse at the Council. I have said in previous communications that I am prepared to provide an objective report; one which seeks to improve operations at the Council. The determinants in the process are justice, fairness on the side of the Council, and the security of the interest of the city and its populace.”

Meanwhile, the Mayor also attacked this newspaper for its choice of headlines on the issue of fraud at City Hall, and referred to a closing paragraph in an article in yesterday’s edition that suggests that changes at City Hall were directly attributable to Mr. Burrowes and the investigative and related activities of the Commission, many of which had been in abeyance for years, and which have been implemented in the wake of the Commission’s efforts.

However, this was sending cross signals, as the Deputy Mayor, Mr. Robert Williams, admitted that many changes were currently being undertaken at City Hall as a result of the activities of the Commission.

Green said with skepticism that Burrowes had refuted a news report which claimed he had said that “skullduggery had been going on in the M&CC under his (Green’s) watch,” but Mr. Burrowes was being absolutely truthful, because what he actually said was to the effect that the system of accounting that had obtained at City Hall had facilitated opportunities for “skullduggery.” He did not mention Mr. Green’s name in this regard.

Green blamed the dysfunctional systems of management at City Hall on a lack of adequate resources and said that the municipality is strangled by the extant laws and constitution.

He said that cashiering employees were difficult and referenced the dismissal of two koker attendants, whom he suggested were re-instated because they were PPP supporters. On this issue Green did not make it clear how this matter correlates with the fraud at City Hall.

Deputy Mayor, Robert Williams spoke of the several high-priced consultancy firms that had been contracted by the M&CC over the years, all of which made several recommendations.

Yet, despite this, the Burrowes Commission of Inquiry discovered a virtual minefield in the Georgetown municipality.

It is because of this fact that the current broom sweeping away the mismanagement and cleaning up the Augean stables that is the City Hall operations has been attributed by the Chronicle to the investigations and related activities of the Burrowes Commission, over which the Mayor has taken great umbrage.

Bringing up the issue of shared governance, Green said that he is still committed to that vision, although the ruling party might be just a bit leery of that statement coming from Green, given the fiasco of the agreement between the PPP/C and the Good and Green Guyana (GGG) several years ago over sharing of the administrative chair of the municipality.

The Commissioner has indicated that no administration can continue to dispense funds when there is no accountability and transparency.

According to Burrowes, if there had been an attempt to provide credible financial records in order to establish that monies allocated were being utilised effectively and efficiently in the city’s affairs then the M&CC may have had additional disbursements by Central Government, and certainly more productive engagements.

Burrowes is adamant he is not interested in getting rid of people, and he cannot just conclude that people are guilty without comprehensive investigations. His intent and terms of reference constitute addressing core problems and making recommendations for fundamental changes that would make a real difference to the management of the city’s affairs.

The Commissioner had informed the media on Monday last that the report would be publicly handed over to the Minister on Friday.