FIVE of the country’s six municipalities have already presented their 2012 budget proposals to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, but the Georgetown City Council, with theirs outstanding, is now claiming that it is not necessary for them to get the approval of the ministry. Notwithstanding, Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud said at a news conference last Wednesday that it was “unfortunate that the city council would seek to go out there and to mislead people by presenting what they call a budget,” without having it approved by the ministry.
The municipalities are, by law, required to present the budgets by November 15 of each year, and Minister Persaud said the M&CC has indicated to the ministry that it will present the budget by January 15.
At a City Hall press conference yesterday, Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe claimed that the municipality’s budget has been presented to the Local Government Ministry, though it was not approved by councillors. Harry-Munroe stressed, that the council did not have to get approval from the ministry.
Minister within the Local Government Ministry Norman Whittaker, also commenting on the issue, said: “We have been on to them almost, not almost, daily, every working day, and we are now being told that they are working towards getting it (the budget) for January 15. So perhaps they have changed the legal requirement.”
According to him, Chairman of the Implementation Committee that was established to investigate the operations of City Hall, Keith Burrowes, has again been asked to assist the council with its finances. Burrowes was appointed by former Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall.
Minister Persaud also said he hopes that the municipality will do better this year in terms of managing its resources.
“We are hoping that we can be surprised that they will manage their affairs in such a manner that they will not have to seek the kind of bail out which they sought in 2011.”
“More and more I see the municipality of Georgetown reneging on its responsibility for waste collection, and seeking to intentionally delegate that responsibility to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development,” the minister said.
“And I don’t think that the ministry is interested in taking over any responsibility of the municipality. We are not prepared for that, so I trust that this year, the municipality will finally get its act together and execute its mandate to citizens,” Persaud added.