ONE of the most pressing issues I would like the incoming PPP/C administration to tackle is the vexing question of the Town and City Councils. When I say this I mean the government must deal with the way mayors and their councils are put into office.
The present situation makes room for the election of a cabal of corrupt, dysfunctional individuals who bring nothing positive to the table other than to create the decrepit sights and sounds you see around our city and towns.
It is a political grouping of persons who have vested interests in promoting their own narrow political agenda than doing the work of such high office. The end result is, very little is done while these lazy people wine and dine with the resources of our mayoralties.
Just look around and you will see what I am talking about; a case in point is the city of Georgetown. Can anyone try to convince me of the relevance of this derelict individual? He has been mayor for nearly two decades and what do we see in and around the urban centre? Only death, decay and a stink and stagnant capital, which is a disgrace to all who visit it or have the odious task of passing through it.
To top it off he is blaming the government for the state of affairs in the city. So my question is, what is the function of a mayor, a city council? Or what is the purpose of rates and taxes? Only in this corner of the world can we see persons in that capacity paid for doing nothing.

Recently I read of the soon to be ex-president having an exchange of words with the mayor of New Amsterdam over the state of affairs of the town. President Jagdeo is obviously peeved with the condition of the town and he did not mince words about its custodians.
I remember a previous visit when the President gave the town $10M as a facelift to take it out of a dire situation when the mayor chided him for helping the citizens. Henry told the president that he had no right going into the town and doing what he did which is tantamount to saying New Amsterdam is the private domain of his Henry’s PNC cabal and Jagdeo should stay the hell out. Imagine the mayor telling the President of the country such bunk. Well there you have it; the President’s terse response to an out-of-place PNC runt. The New Amsterdam Mayor like his equally out-of-place city comrade had the gall to make such statements because the system gives them such latitude. It is quite clear that these PNC goons believe that the municipalities are their own to do as they please. When elected officials are diametrically opposed to the efforts of central government, the grave state of affairs we see happening in our towns and cities are bound to take place.

I strongly urge Mr. Ramotar to take the bull by the horns and have a revamping. Yes, a total overhaul of the way town and city officials are elected to office so as to spare them further embarrassment. Local government must take precedence for the new administration to fix this burning eyesore. It will be the key point in removing the last vestiges of the PNC stranglehold.